Fitzgerald's lower-back issue showed improvement Sunday, and he is expected play in Cactus League games before the end of this week, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Fitzgerald was held out of workouts for a few days at the start of camp due to the injury, but he's feeling better and is close to making his spring debut. The 27-year-old posted 15 homers and 17 steals with an .831 OPS as a rookie last year and will begin the season as San Francisco's everyday second baseman after Willy Adames was signed in December to take over at shortstop.