The San Diego Padres gave up three runs in the third inning of their 6-5 win over the Atlanta Braves on Monday, May 20, but it could have been so much worse after second baseman Xander Bogaerts had to leave the game with an injury after making a diving stop.
However, Bogaerts appears to have avoided a major injury, according to Padres manager Mike Shildt.
“So far we’re going to get some more imaging,” Shildt told reporters after the game. “The initial imaging is negative, so it’s positive. He’s got some stability more than it looked like he might have, and he’s got some strength in some range of motion. More time will tell, but the initial feedback is the best-case scenario.”
Luis Arraez will start in Bogaerts’ place on May 21, according to The San Diego Post-Tribune, while the team determines whether to place Bogaerts on the injured list. Arraez also started the second game of Monday’s doubleheader.
Hopefully Bogaerts will be okay — left with an apparent shoulder injury.
Bogaerts’ diving stop ultimately ended up being a major play in the one-run win. If he had let the ball get through with the bases loaded and the Padres down 2-0, at least one more run would have scored.
“Huge play,” Shildt said. “That stops a run and ended up being a big deal.”
Xander Bogaerts’ Recent Surge
There’s never a good time for an injury, but this was especially rough for Bogaerts. Due to make more than $25 million in the second year of a long-term deal, Bogaerts had been mired in a season-long slump until about a week ago. He’s now 8 for his last 24 over his past six games with 2 home runs and a .903 OPS.
That comes after a brutal first 40 games in which he hit just .204 with a .536 OPS.
At 31 years old, Bogaerts is under some pressure to stay healthy — he has more than $200 million remaining on his contract, which runs through his age 40 season. His track record is also a major reason why giving him a long-term deal seemed smart. Bogaerts has played in all but 19 regular season games over the last two full seasons and has played in 150 or more games in five of his nine full big-league seasons.
Bogaerts is the team’s highest-paid position player in 2024, though that’s scheduled to change when Manny Machado hits his biggest money years from 2027-33.
The Padres Have Infield Options
Fortunately for the Padres, they have options in the infield if it takes Bogaerts some time to get back on the field.
Arraez, whom the Padres acquired from the Miami Marlins on May 4, was the Marlins’ everyday second baseman, starting at the position 340 times since arriving in the majors in 2019. He’s been the designated hitter for eight of the 14 games he’s played for the Padres. His .315 average is seventh best in the National League through May 20/
Tyler Wade, who entered the game to replace Bogaerts, primarily plays third for San Diego but played a lot of second base in his days with the New York Yankees, and Donovan Solano has hit well in limited duty this season, going 6-for-13 heading into the May 20 doubleheader.
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Padres Offer Update on Xander Bogaerts’ Shoulder Injury: ‘It’s Positive’