With the San Diego Padres preparing for the 2025 MLB Playoffs, the team could use all the reinforcements it can get, with one player who has been out for a significant amount of time being shortstop Xander Bogaerts. As the Padres' star in Bogaerts has been making big steps in his recovery, manager Mike Shildt would provide more insight into the player's process.

Speaking with 97.3 The Fan, Shildt would be asked about Bogaerts, his impact on the team, and where he is regarding his injury recovery, as he's been out since August 27, missing time with a fractured foot. Fast forward to the present, and Shildt would say that he is on a positive trajectory, and the workload he's been getting has proved fruitful.

“Gaining optimism every day with Bogey,” Shildt said. “He's been in Arizona since we left on Sunday, when we ended in New York. He went to Arizona. That was a travel day for him. And you know, every day this week he's gotten some real heavy workload.”

“Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, a little lighter day yesterday, but, summary of it is, he's doing almost every baseball activity we'd want him to do, and getting a lot of at-bats from the guys over in Arizona,” Shildt continued. “Getting a lot of at-bats, getting his ground balls, he's getting on the bases.”

Padres' Mike Shildt on the progress Xander Bogaerts has made 

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Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) celebrates after hitting an RBI double during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park
Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

While the Padres are in a race for the NL West along with the Los Angeles Dodgers, getting a player like Bogaerts would only benefit the team, as he brings the much-needed experience in the postseason. Before his stint with San Diego, he won two championships with the Boston Red Sox in 2013 and 2018, as Shildt goes into how well he's been recovering and progressing.

“So he's getting closer, and he's recovered well,” Shildt said. “The thing that really fired us up and we were excited about was he had more of an aggressive day, and then the next day felt good. Had another aggressive day. So, back-to-back aggressive, a lot of intensity, and then the following day felt even better. So the recovery component has been favorable for Xander, and that's clearly good news.

“And you know, we'll see and make sure he's still progressing,” Shildt continued. “And he's a guy that we do rely on. He's a guy that's been out for a while…But you are talking about a guy in Bogey who has been a mainstay in our lineup the last couple of years, has contributed to winning, and has two world championships under his belt. And you know, those kinds of experiences and that kind of player are going to be good to get back.”

At any rate, the Padres have nine games left as the team starts a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Friday.