Jake Cronenworth's .144 Batting Average Returns With Him, And Padres Fans Should Be Worried
Holy smokes, Padres fans, guess who's back? After a grueling eight-week absence, veteran infielder Jake Cronenworth officially got activated from the concussion injured list on Monday. He jumped right back into the lineup, starting at second base against the Chicago Cubs. San Diego manager Craig Stammen was hyped, saying, "It's great to have Crony back. We missed him, definitely. A guy that's been a part of our team for a while, someone that's just steady, professional at-bat all the time, and then a great second baseman. He's just a value add when we get him back." But while we're all stoked to see a familiar face back on the diamond, there's a serious question looming, especially with his early-season struggles. Are we getting the two-time All-Star Cronenworth, or the one we saw before his injury?
The Long, Rough Road Back
This wasn't just a bump or bruise, folks. Cronenworth's journey to the IL was gnarly. He got drilled in the jaw by a fastball from the Los Angeles Angels' Yusei Kikuchi way back on April 18. Talk about a tough break. What really makes your stomach churn is that he tried to gut it out for two weeks, struggling badly, before finally landing on the IL because of actual concussion-related vision problems. Vision problems! You can't hit a baseball if you can't see it, right? And the stats before his absence were brutal: a measly .144 batting average, just one homer, and four RBIs in 32 games. That's a stark contrast to the player we know. The question now is, what version of Cronenworth is actually stepping back onto the field?
Trade on Every Game with Kalshi
Click Here to sign up to Kalshi — Free $10 when you sign up using our link or use code: ONTAPSEA. The only federally regulated prediction market in the US. Trade on real sports outcomes. Available in all 50 states.
Roster Shuffle City
To make room for Cronenworth, the Padres had to do some housekeeping. Infielder Will Wagner, a 27-year-old, got optioned down to Triple-A El Paso. Wagner had a pretty solid .257 average with a .422 on-base percentage, but no homers and no RBIs in his 16 games up with San Diego this season. But that wasn't the only roster move! The bullpen also saw some action, with right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez getting the call-up from Double-A San Antonio. He's replacing right-hander David Morgan, who's now on the 15-day IL with left knee inflammation. Morgan, 26, was 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA over 18 relief outings this year. Rodriguez, the 22-year-old, looked sharp in his Monday outing against the Cubs, giving up a hit but striking out two of the four batters he faced in a scoreless appearance. For the season, he's 1-2 with a stellar 2.06 ERA over 32 appearances, including three starts. So, while Cronenworth's return is the headline, the Padres are making moves all over the diamond.
It's awesome to have Cronenworth back, a 32-year-old veteran with a career .244 average, .333 on-base, and .399 slugging, 81 homers, and 373 RBIs across 813 games in seven seasons. He's been a steady presence. But his comeback isn't just about presence, it's about production. With those pre-injury numbers, he's got a mountain to climb. Padres fans, keep your eyes glued to see if our two-time All-Star can shake off the rust and the vision issues to get back to his old self. We're all rooting for him!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.