Padres' Replacement for Xander Bogaerts Revealed

The San Diego Padres lost their everyday shortstop, Xander Bogaerts, to injury. The 32-year-old is currently on the injured list with a broken foot, and it's unclear if or when he will return.

The uncertainty surrounding Bogaerts is a huge blow for the Padres, a team that is preparing to make a deep playoff push. However, before October, San Diego is aiming for the division crown.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have won the NL West for much of the last decade, with the exception of 2021 when the San Francisco Giants were division winners. Now, the Padres are just two games behind the Dodgers for first place and the Friars will use this final month of the regular season to reclaim the lead.

Regardless, the Padres will need to find a solution at shortstop and it appears they have found two. While Bogaerts recovers on the IL, San Diego will mainly use Jose Iglesias at shortstop. Every once in a while, the Padres will also use Mason McCoy.

Manager Mike Shildt confirmed the pair of infielders will be the temporary replacements for Bogaerts.

“Those are our two primary options,” Shildt said to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The reality is the Padres could very well be without Bogaerts for the remainder of the regular season; however, the team remained non-committal on putting a firm timeline for his return.

“At the moment, medical, including Bogey most importantly, doesn’t feel like this is going to be season-ending,” Shildt said. “It’s just going to be some period of time, and (I) don’t like to put any timetable on it.”

After a slow start to the season, Bogaerts had improved his offensive production in recent games. He is slashing .262/.330/.387 with a .717 OPS and 10 home runs across 131 games.

The Padres will need navigate the month of September, or at least part of it, without their starting shortstop. The Friars' next series begins Monday against the Baltimore Orioles.

At this point, every game matters as the Padres chase the Dodgers for first place in the division. The Padres dropped two of three against the Minnesota Twins, which certainly hurt their case.

Nevertheless, the Padres can gain traction with a strong showing against the Orioles. First pitch is at 3:40 p.m. PT.

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