The Padres introduced that shortstop Xander Bogaerts has been positioned on the 10-day injured record as a consequence of a non-displaced fracture in his left foot. Shortstop Mason McCoy has been recalled in a corresponding transfer. Per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Padres suppose Bogaerts has an opportunity to be again for the postseason, which suggests he’ll miss the rest of the common season.
The Friars haven’t but introduced how Bogaerts injured himself nevertheless it appears probably it occurred on Wednesday. As seen in this clip from MLB.com, Bogaerts fouled a ball of himself within the eighth inning and collapsed in ache. He managed to remain in that recreation after which the Friars have been off yesterday, nevertheless it appears they did some latest testing that discovered the fracture.
Bogaerts isn’t fairly the identical hitter he was at this peak however continues to be a stable on a regular basis participant. His .262/.330/.387 batting line this yr interprets to a 103 wRC+, simply 3% above league common, however he has 20 stolen bases and 7 Outs Above Common at shortstop. Regardless of the tepid offense, FanGraphs has credited him with three wins above substitute this yr.
The choices to cowl shortstop in his absence are far much less inspiring. Veteran Jose Iglesias will in all probability get the majority of the enjoying time there now. He’s a stable defender however is hitting simply .228/.303/.276 this yr. McCoy can be thought-about sturdy with the glove however has a .182/.250/.218 line in 63 massive league plate appearances. His Triple-A piece is healthier however nonetheless not nice. His .265/.341/.413 line because the begin of 2024 interprets to a wRC+ of 80 within the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
That’s a notable drop-off for a membership nonetheless enjoying significant baseball. The Padres are attempting to chase down the Dodgers within the Nationwide League West, at the moment simply two video games again. They’re holding onto the second Wild Card spot, seven video games away from the Reds, the highest group not in playoff place. Their odds of creating the postseason are nonetheless good however no membership desires to lose its beginning shortstop going into the stretch run. It additionally sounds prefer it’s not a assure that Bogaerts is again by October.
With the commerce deadline having handed a month in the past, the Padres have fewer choices for locating exterior options. It’s attainable they discover an improve they like on waivers. As an example, the Pirates have reportedly put infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa on the wire. The Padres may seize him and he can be postseason eligible if claimed previous to September 1st, although doing so would imply taking up the roughly $1.21MM nonetheless remaining on his contract. That’s not an enormous quantity within the bigger context of MLB payrolls however the Friars have been coping with a good price range for years now.
It’s attainable that different gamers have been placed on waivers with out reporting reaching the general public, although groups are often making such gamers accessible as a option to attempt to economize, so these different guys may need related wage obligations to Kiner-Falefa.
Photograph courtesy of Denis Poroy, Imagn Photos
