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The Padres obviously weren’t picking up their half of Andujar’s $8 million option, and he was getting a $2.5 million buyout either way. Initially the Padres’ top option at DH, Andujar wound up missing most of the final 3 1/2 months with a hamstring strain and then a wrist fracture. He did return for the postseason, going 0-for-3 with a walk off the bench. He hit .259/.303/.423 in 74 games while healthy. It’s possible he’ll get a major league deal as a platoon starter against lefties.

Andujar has been sidelined since June 20th with a fractured wrist when he was hit by a pitch. There are just 12 days left in the Triple-A season, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him spend the majority of that with El Paso given how long he’s been sidelined and then return to the Padres roster for the final week or two and potential playoffs.

There’s a decent possibility Andujar is done for the rest of the season with just over two months left. The 31-year-old has hit .259 (62-for-239) with five homers and two steals in 74 games this season. He suffered the injury when he was hit by a pitch over the weekend. There is no timetable for his return.

The three doubles came after a 390-foot flyout his first time up. It would have been a homer in 14 ballparks, according to Statcast. It’s the first time in his career that Andujar has doubled three times in a game. In 2018, when he finished second in the AL with 47 doubles, he had two on eight occasions but never three. Andujar is batting .266/.303/.428 in 234 plate appearances this season. He played fairly regularly in April and May, but the start tonight was just his second in eight games. He might have earned himself another opportunity Thursday against Merrill Kelly.

Andujar rejoins San Diego’s DH rotation following a two-week absence due to a left hamstring strain. The 31-year-old has hit .254/.288/.418 with five homers, 17 RBI and two steals in 198 plate appearances over 54 games this season.

So much for avoiding the injured list after an extended layoff. Andjuar finally winds up hitting the shelf after suffering a hamstring injury last weekend that kept him out of San Diego’s lineup for five consecutive contests. He’s unlikely to require a lengthy absence, but there isn’t an official timeline from the Padres yet.

Andujar was able to pinch-hit on Wednesday against the Reds, but was held out of the lineup for Friday’s series opener against the Orioles. He’s missed five straight games due to a lingering hamstring issue, but it doesn’t sound like a trip to the injured list is in the cards. It’ll be Will Wagner taking another turn at DH in his absence.

Andujar is sitting out his third consecutive contest with a lingering hamstring issue. There’s been zero indication that he’ll require a trip to the injured list, but that could change prior to Friday’s series opener against the Orioles.

No real surprise here with Andujar battling a hamstring issue that surfaced over the weekend. It’ll be Will Wagner taking over at DH in his absence.

Padres manager Craig Stammen told reporters there’s a chance Andujar is available off the bench, which seemingly signals that a trip to the injured list is off the table. The 31-year-old was lifted from Sunday’s game with hamstring tightness. It’ll be Gavin Sheets handling DH on Monday night in his absence.

If Andujar can’t go on Monday, maybe the Padres will stick the streaking Freddy Fermin in the DH spot.

Andujar is in a 3-for-27 skid that’s seen him go without an RBI in his last seven games. He’ll probably continue to start for the most part, but he’s not a No. 2 hitter. Even though he’s batting .267 this season, his OBP is just .293.

Andujar homered with one out in the bottom of the first, and the lead held up for the rest of the game. It was his second straight start batting second. It’s an odd fit for such an aggressive hitter, but since he’s hot right now, the Padres might as well lean into it. Andujar is batting .298/.319/.504 in 135 plate appearances. Nothing much suggests he’ll keep slugging like this, but he’ll be a lineup fixture for San Diego until he cools off.

Andujar was 1-for-15 in his previous four games, but he’s hitting a fine .292/.318/.491 overall. It’s just not ideal that most of his production is coming against righties, when the Padres need him more versus lefties, but at least it’s helping him stay in the lineup over Ty France and Nick Castellanos.

Andújar is now slashing .310/.375/.448 to start the season. He’s taking a more pull-centric approach this season and has changed his swing path a bit. The results have slowly started to come, as Andújar has gone 7-for-17 in his last five games. He plays most days in San Diego and has multi-position eligibility, so he’s a worthwhile add in deeper fantasy leagues.

Andújar had the day off on Wednesday and has been alternating games a bit with Nick Castellanos to start the season. Andújar has gone 2-for-12 to start the season, which is exactly the same as Castellanos. For now, nobody is running away with the job.

It’s not a complete surprise, but it is confirmation that Andujar, not Castellanos, will begin the season as the primary designated hitter. Andujar hit just .220/.305/.420 in spring, but he did have three home runs and a manageable strikeout rate. He’s a career .282 hitter in 467 MLB games and could have some deep league fantasy value if he’s going to hit in the middle of the Padres’ lineup. The rest of the Opening Day lineup is: Fernando Tatis RF, Xander Bogaerts SS, Manny Machado 3B, Jackson Merrill CF, Miguel Andujar DH, Gavin Sheets 1B, Ramon Laureano LF, Freddy Fermin C, and Jake Cronenworth 2B.

There’s a mutual option for 2027. Andujar figures to be the primary DH for the Friars in 2026 and could also see time as a corner infielder and outfielder. He will probably bat low enough in the order to not be much of a threat for runs scored, but could be a useful NL-only player at the outset of the season.

That probably wouldn’t have boded very well for Miguel Andujar’s chances of playing regularly for his new (but still unofficial) team. But it still seems likely that the Padres will add one more bat, potentially affecting the playing time of Andujar, Sung-Mon Song and Gavin Sheets. Rhys Hoskins and Ty France are probably the closest comparables to Goldschmidt, so perhaps one of them is next on the team’s list. Mitch Garver would also make some sense, especially given Luis Campusano’s similar potential to contribute as more than a backup catcher. Nathaniel Lowe and Marcell Ozuna are also out there as potential starters at first base and DH, respectively.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan says it’s a one-year, $4 million deal. Heyman, who had previously linked Andujar with the Padres, Rangers, Cardinals and Cubs, notes there’s a mutual option for 2027. Andujar’s contact ability makes him pretty useful as a part-timer, but his lack of defense, middling power and poor walk rate don’t translate well to regular play. He should primarily occupy a platoon role in San Diego, probably mostly splitting time with Gavin Sheets at DH.