The Padres face the Diamondbacks on June 13 with a depleted roster, forcing Jose Iglesias to left field after a Jackson Merrill injury. Can they survive?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
If you needed one image to capture the state of the San Diego Padres right now, look no further than tonight's lineup card. For the first time in his 12-year big league career, veteran infielder Jose Iglesias will start a game in left field. It's a bold, almost unbelievable move by manager Mike Shildt, and a testament to a team that is navigating a storm of injuries as they fight to stay afloat in a competitive NL West race.
For the first time in his 12-year MLB career, veteran infielder Jose Iglesias will start a game in left field.
The move to play Iglesias in the outfield is a direct result of the cascading effect of injuries, most recently the loss of Jackson Merrill. The sophomore sensation was placed on the 10-day IL with a right hamstring strain, pausing a blistering start to his season where he was hitting .378. While Oscar González was recalled from Triple-A El Paso to provide some cover, the team is clearly stretching its depth. Brandon Lockridge continues to hold down center, with Fernando Tatis Jr. locked in right, leaving a glaring hole that Iglesias, an emergency option, is now tasked with filling.
Merrill is just the latest name on a casualty list that reads like a potential All-Star roster. The starting rotation is gutted, with Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish, and Michael King all on the IL. The bullpen is missing key arms in Bryan Hoeing and Jhony Brito. Thankfully, there's some good news on the horizon. Jake Cronenworth is reportedly ahead of schedule in his recovery from a rib injury, and the team expects to activate hitting machine Luis Arraez from the 7-day concussion IL very soon. Their return can't come fast enough.
Despite the makeshift lineup, the games go on. Tonight, the 38-29 Padres send Stephen Kolek (3-1, 3.00 ERA) to the mound against Arizona's Ryne Nelson. Kolek has been a steadying force in a depleted rotation, and the Friars will lean on him heavily to quiet the Diamondbacks' bats. With a 77.6% chance of making the postseason, every game matters. The offense, led by the steady presence of Manny Machado (.320 AVG, 39 RBI) and the power of Fernando Tatis Jr. (13 HR), will need to find a way to scratch out runs and support their pitcher in this crucial divisional matchup.
Tonight's game is a microcosm of the Padres' season so far: facing adversity, getting creative, and finding a way to compete. Can this patched-together lineup manufacture enough runs to support Stephen Kolek? A series win in the desert would be a massive statement, proving that even when battered and bruised, this team's spirit is anything but broken. All eyes will be on Chase Field to see if the 'next man up' can get the job done.
