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Padres in crisis: Bogaerts injured, Kiner-Falefa as a rescue?
The San Diego Padres are fighting for a playoff chance after Xander Bogaerts is sidelined due to injury. Kiner-Falefa as a possible solution.
Padres in crisis: Bogaerts injured, Kiner-Falefa as a rescue?
The San Diego Padres are facing a tough situation as their starting shortstop Xander Bogaerts may miss the remainder of the regular season. Bogaerts suffered a non-displaced fracture in his left foot when he fouled a ball into his leg in the game against the Seattle Mariners. Despite his injury, he remained in the game for the time being, but later committed a fielding error. If he were to be sidelined for an extended period of time, it could significantly impact the Padres' chances of winning the National League West title and advancing in the playoffs. Bogaerts, the 32-year-old, had a slow start to the season but improved his performance significantly since June 19, when he posted a .303 batting average and an .835 OPS. During that span, he ranks 18th in the major leagues on FanGraphs and has a WAR of 2.3, making him the Padres' second-best player in that metric, as [NY Times] reports.
According to the reports, the Padres have selected Jose Iglesias as the starting shortstop for the opening game against the Minnesota Twins. Iglesias had two hits and an RBI in the 7-4 loss. To respond to Bogaerts' injury, the Padres also brought in shortstop Mason McCoy from Triple-A to provide needed depth in their lineup.
Possible reinforcement from Isiah Kiner-Falefa
In a strategic move, the Padres have their eye on utility player Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who was placed on straight waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Kiner-Falefa could be claimed before the August 31 deadline and would then be eligible to play in the postseason. With eight seasons of experience, including a Gold Glove award in 2020, he brings valuable versatility as he can play both shortstop and third base. This season, Kiner-Falefa has posted a .265 batting average, a .634 OPS and 35 RBIs in 118 games. Most notably, his current average of .318 in the last seven games underlines his form, as [Motorcycle Sports] reports.
The Padres have high hopes that Bogaerts will return in time for the postseason after spending a week in the walking boat. Signing Kiner-Falefa could be crucial to ensuring the Padres' competitiveness this season and continuing to compete for the division title. The next few days will show whether this plan can be put into action and what impact Bogaerts' injury will have on the Padres' season.