San Diego Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth is back on the field after spending eight weeks on the concussion injured list, with the team officially activating him on Monday.
The 32-year-old veteran wasted no time returning to action, stepping into the starting lineup at second base Monday night in a road game against the Chicago Cubs.
San Diego manager Craig Stammen expressed his enthusiasm about getting Cronenworth back in the fold. “It’s great to have Crony back,” Stammen said. “We missed him, definitely. A guy that’s been a part of our team for a while, someone that’s just steady, professional at-bat all the time, and then a great second baseman. He’s just a value add when we get him back.”
Cronenworth’s injury stemmed from an April 18 game against the Los Angeles Angels, when a fastball from pitcher Yusei Kikuchi struck him in the jaw. He continued playing for roughly two weeks afterward before concussion-related vision problems forced him onto the injured list.
Before landing on the IL, the two-time All-Star was hitting .144 with one home run and four RBIs across 32 games this season.
Entering Monday’s game, Cronenworth carries a career .244 batting average, a .333 on-base percentage, a .399 slugging percentage, 81 home runs, and 373 RBIs over 813 games — all played with San Diego across seven major league seasons.
To open a roster spot for Cronenworth, the Padres optioned infielder Will Wagner to Triple-A El Paso. The 27-year-old Wagner had posted a .257/.422/.286 batting line with no home runs and no RBIs in 16 games for San Diego this year.
San Diego also made a change to its bullpen, calling up right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez from Double-A San Antonio. Rodriguez fills the spot left by right-hander David Morgan, who was placed on the 15-day injured list due to left knee inflammation.
Morgan, 26, finished his time on the active roster with a 2-0 record and a 4.50 ERA across 18 relief appearances this season.
Rodriguez, 22, made an immediate impression in his return, allowing just one hit while striking out two of the four batters he faced in a scoreless outing against the Cubs on Monday. In 32 appearances this season — including three starts — he holds a 1-2 record with a 2.06 ERA.
