MLB News: Tatis and Darvish Injuries

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The San Diego Padres are dealing with a tough time as several key players are injured. On Monday, the team put their star right fielder, Fernando Tatis Jr., on the 10-day injured list because of a stress reaction in his right leg.

This adds to the Padres’ injury problems, as Yu Darvish, their Opening Day starter, is also still on the injured list with elbow inflammation. Darvish was expected to return from a groin strain, but elbow issues have delayed his comeback.

To handle these absences, the Padres have made several roster changes. They brought up outfielder Bryce Johnson from Triple-A El Paso and recalled right-hander Adam Mazur and infielder Eguy Rosario. 

Mazur will start in place of Darvish, and Rosario will add depth to the infield. The team sent Jhony Brito to El Paso as a starter and José Azocar down for more at-bats.

Tatis was playing with what seemed to be a quad strain, but further tests revealed a stress reaction in his thigh bone. Even with this injury, Tatis has been performing well, leading San Diego with 14 home runs and boosting their MLB Odds. However, increased discomfort while running led the team to rest him to prevent further damage. Manager Mike Shildt said that Tatis could still play, but resting is important for his recovery.

The timeline for Tatis’ return is unclear. Shildt suggested it could be either before or after the All-Star break. He played his last game on Friday and left after being hit by a pitch on his left elbow, which caused inflammation but no structural damage.

Darvish Injury Road

Yu Darvish, who had a stress reaction in his right elbow last September, is on the injured list for the second time this season. He was previously out due to neck tightness and now has elbow issues. The team is still assessing how serious it is but is hopeful it isn’t too bad.

In Darvish’s absence, rookie Adam Mazur has been pitching but has had mixed results, with a 7.27 ERA over four starts. Jhony Brito, who has a 4.35 ERA in 25 relief appearances, is preparing to start games. Veteran starter Joe Musgrove, out since May with an elbow injury, has started playing catch but remains weeks away. He has said that he might need surgery in the future.

Other injured players include Xander Bogaerts, recovering from a left shoulder fracture, and Luis Campusano, with a left thumb contusion. Bogaerts aims to return before August, and the team is hopeful for a quick return for Campusano.

Padres Considerations to Overcome

With Tatis out and left fielder Jurickson Profar playing through knee pain, the Padres will test their depth. Bryce Johnson, who started in right field on Monday, has a career .422 OPS in 41 big-league games. They might consider Rosario for outfield duty, even though he is usually an infielder.

The Padres are going through a tough time, balancing the need to rest their injured players with the demands of staying competitive. Shildt remains optimistic, saying that the return of their injured players will feel like adding new players in a trade. The team will compete and win despite these setbacks.