Ahead of the San Diego Padres’ series with the Cincinnati Reds, they got an update on starting shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
Bogaerts has been out since late-August thanks to a foot fracture suffered after fouling a ball off of his foot. Despite this, there is some hope that he can return to the field this season.
Annie Heilbrunn of the San Diego Union-Tribune provided an update on Monday regarding Bogaerts, saying that he’s no longer in a walking boot, and is still hopeful for a return this season.
“Xander Bogaerts was in clubhouse today without a walking boot,” Heilbrunn said. “He said he is walking fine, but no running or anything like that yet. He's dependent on doing imaging each week and waiting for doctor clearance. Still optimistic he'll be back before end of regular season.”
Padres hopeful that Bogaerts can return sooner rather than later
On the season, Bogaerts is hitting .262 with 10 home runs, 49 RBIs and a .717 OPS. He’s in the third season of an 11-year, $280 million contract that he signed with the team prior to the 2023 season.
In his absence, the Padres have largely gone to veteran infielder Jose Iglesias to take his place. However, the Padres are hopeful they can get Bogaerts back sooner rather than later, as the team is still involved in a heated Wild Card race in the National League. At 79-65, the Padres currently hold the second Wild Card slot, three games ahead of the third-place New York Mets.