The San Diego Padres are making a big change to their infield, specifically the status of Xander Bogaerts.
Padres manager Mike Shildt announced Friday that Bogaerts will be moved from shortstop to second base this season. The move is being made to allow Ha-Seong Kim to play shortstop every day. Shildt suggested that Bogaerts agreed to the move, which drew praise from the manager.
Bogaerts signed an 11-year contract with the Padres last offseason but will spend just one year of it playing shortstop. The move opens up an everyday role for Kim, who won a Gold Glove last year and was arguably San Diego’s best player for large stretches of the season. The move likely means that Jake Cronenworth, the previous second baseman who popped up in trade rumors during the offseason, is destined for a spot at first base.
The Padres are doing a lot of reshuffling after a hugely disappointing 2023 season. Bogaerts hit a modest .285 with 19 home runs, with his offensive numbers down from his peak years in Boston. Perhaps a positional change will help jump-start him as he prepares for his second season in San Diego.
More must-reads: