The San Diego Padres reportedly placed second baseman Xander Bogaerts on the injured list Wednesday with a fracture in his left shoulder, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The injury occurred Monday against the Atlanta Braves. Acee also provided an update on Bogaerts' injury timeline.
“Xander Bogaerts has a fracture in his left shoulder. No indication of labrum tear or need for surgery. Bone has to heal. He intends to play again this season, perhaps by late summer. He remains in Cincinnati with team and more tests are planned today,” Acee wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The fact that Bogaerts is hoping to return in 2024 is a positive sign. Still, losing a star like Bogaerts for a significant amount of time is far from ideal. The Padres are certainly hopeful he will be able to return as soon as possible.
Bogaerts sent a message to Padres fans after the injury news, via an article by Acee in The San Diego Union-Tribune.
“I’ll be back. I’m a quick healer,” Bogaerts said. “It’s been a weird year. But I still have a chance to come back and be a part of something special. It’s better than not being able to come back.”
Xander Bogaerts' 2024 struggles before injury
Bogaerts, 31, features the ability to play at a high level. When he is on top of his game, Bogaerts is one of the best middle infielders in the sport. In 2024, though, Bogaerts has struggled.
He has slashed just .219/.265/.316/.581 through 47 games played. Again, Bogaerts' ceiling is quite high. He is a four-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger Award winner.
If Bogaerts is able to return in 2024, which is what he is expecting, the Padres could end up making a playoff push. Their chances of competing for a National League West title are slim, but San Diego may be able to clinch an NL Wild Card spot. Doing so will not be easy, but having Bogaerts return for a potential stretch run would give the ball club a necessary boost.
The Padres will need to stay afloat amid Bogaerts' absence, though. And even with Bogaerts in the lineup, the 2024 season has not exactly gone according to plan.
Padres' inconsistent 2024 campaign
The Padres are in second place in the NL West as of this story's writing. With that being said, San Diego holds a mediocre 25-26 record, which places them eight games behind the 33-18 Los Angeles Dodgers. LA happens to be one of the best teams in MLB, while every other ball club in the NL West is currently under .500.
Sure, the division is not technically decided yet. After all, we are still in May. But surpassing the Dodgers in the division will prove to be an immense challenge.
Fortunately for the Padres, MLB now has three wild card teams. As a result, we saw teams with records of just above .500 make the playoffs in 2023. The Padres could accomplish a similar feat during the 2024 season.
Of course, San Diego would love to finish the year with a record well above .500. They will need to develop far more consistency moving forward if they want to make that happen, though.
The Padres have a talented roster. It is difficult to deny the team's potential. Perhaps San Diego will heat up over the next few months and establish themselves as a legitimate contender.
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