The final days of the MLB regular season are going to get really interesting in the NL West. Currently, the Los Angeles Dodgers hold a two-game lead over the San Diego Padres.
Both teams have been in a tight battle over the last month, but the Padres haven't been able to shake the Dodgers in their pursuit of a second straight World Series title.
A lot can change in the final days, and the Padres could be getting a key reinforcement back as they attempt to shake up one of the most competitive divisions in baseball.
Mike Shildt says Xander Bogaerts could return in weekend series vs. White Sox
The San Diego Padres $280 million shortstop Xander Bogaerts landed on the injured list after suffering a fractured bone in his left foot on Aug. 27. In this past week, the 32-year-old has been amping up his recovery.
According to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune, Padres manager Mike Shildt mentioned that the shortstop "did running drills, hit against pitchers, and took grounders at shortstop the past two days in Arizona," and he's also been running at close to full speed.
Bogaerts is looking at a possible return in their upcoming weekend series against the Chicago White Sox, Acee mentioned.
In his third season with the Padres, Bogaerts has been a leader within the ball club. Through 131 games in 2025 before suffering the foot fracture, he's had a .262 batting average, .330 on-base percentage, .387 slugging percentage, and a .717 OPS while hitting 10 home runs, 49 RBI, and a career-high 20 stolen bases.
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