Jake Cronenworth Talks Return After Lengthy IL Stint, Rib Not Fully Healed

San Diego Padres All-Star second baseman Jake Cronenworth spoke about the recovery process and his return from a right rib fracture which landed him on the injured list April 11, revealing the bone had not entirely healed.

“I think it was just more or less just getting to a point in the timeline that the bone was healed enough,” Cronenworth said to the San Diego Union-Tribune. “… I don’t know if I could have come back earlier, but just from, like, the bone healing standpoint, I think it’s if you still have some pain doing something (that means) the bone is still moving. So if I did something to reaggravate it instead of just waiting for it to start healing and it stops moving, I think that’s what they wanted to get, so that when I came back I had no setback.”

The injury occurred April 6, when a 93 mph fastball struck him in the ribs. He was forced out of a contest against the Athletics due to the injury two games later, April 8. The Padres reinstated Cronenworth from the 10-day IL Friday, sending down outfielder Oscar Gonzalez to Triple-A El Paso in a corresponding move.

Cronenworth returned for the first of a three game series against the Rockies on Friday, which the Friars won 13-9. While not yet completely healed, he still produced in his comeback game, going 1-for-3 with two runs, an RBI and two walks.

Padres manager Mike Shildt expressed excitement regarding his club and their injured players returning to the lineup. All-Star center fielder Jackson Merrill also missed a month of play with a hamstring injury.

“It’s been a while,” Shildt said. “… It feels great. We started the year playing well and tested our depth early in a lot of different ways. … They’re all back. And here we go.”

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