Padres Lose Their Starting Catcher to a Broken Toe, Call Up Durán for His MLB Debut

San Diego's catching situation just got a whole lot messier. Luis Campusano, who's been raking at the plate this season, is heading to the 10-day injured list with a broken left toe after fouling a ball off his foot on Tuesday. In his place, 28-year-old Rodolfo Durán gets the call to make his major league debut Thursday night.

Campusano's Hot Start Gets Derailed

This is the tough part. Campusano had been money as the backup catcher, posting a .288 batting average with a .958 OPS tandem with Freddy Fermin. The dude was contributing. Then one swing on Tuesday and boom, fracture in the big toe.

Padres manager Craig Stammen acknowledged the injury could be manageable depending on pain tolerance, but the team opted to shut Campusano down. "It'll be good to be able to get past it in the IL stint instead of trying to play through something," Stammen said. Smart call. A foot injury in catching is no joke when you're constantly crouching, blocking pitches, and throwing down to second base.

The Domino Effect Hits San Diego's Roster

The Padres' injury situation is piling up fast. On top of losing Campusano, the team transferred right-hander Joe Musgrove to the 60-day injured list. His return from Tommy John surgery is progressing slower than the organization hoped. That's a significant blow to the rotation.

Now Durán gets his shot in the majors. At 28 years old, this is his moment. Thursday night he makes his MLB debut as Campusano recovers from the broken toe.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.