Injuries & Moves: Darvish making progress
LATEST NEWS
Sept. 4: C Luis Campusano (groin) available off bench
Campusano suffered a groin injury after being struck on the inside of his left leg by Wilmer Flores' foul ball leading off the fourth inning of Sunday's game against the Giants. Manager Bob Melvin noted that Campusano would be available as a pinch-hitter off the bench, but it might be a few days before he resumes catching duties.
INJURY UPDATES
10-day and 15-day IL
RHP Yu Darvish (right elbow inflammation)
Expected return: Potentially late September
Tests revealed a bone spur in Darvish's elbow, and he received a cortisone injection in late August. On Sept. 3, Darvish threw plyometric balls and played very light catch, manager Bob Melvin said. Darvish reportedly felt good in doing so, meaning he could begin a true throwing progression soon. It remains unclear whether Darvish will be able to pitch again this season, though he has expressed a desire to do so. If the Padres find themselves out of contention in mid-to-late September, it's worth wondering whether they would decide to shut Darvish down for the year. (Last updated: Sept. 4)
1B/DH Ji Man Choi (left ribcage strain)
Expected return: September
Choi began a swinging progression in late August, and he got at-bats against live pitching for the first time at the team's complex on Aug. 31. Acquired in a deal with Pittsburgh at the Trade Deadline, Choi landed on the IL after 11 hitless at-bats with the Padres, though he notched five walks. (Last updated: Aug. 31)
RHP Steven Wilson (left hip inflammation)
Expected return: September
It's unclear how much Wilson had been affected by injury prior to his landing on the IL on Aug. 30, retroactive to Aug. 28. But his numbers suffered with a heavy workload as the season went on. Wilson posted a 2.43 ERA in the first half with a 7.31 mark in the second. The team is hopeful Wilson can return to first-half form after an IL stint and pitch meaningful innings in September. (Last updated: Aug. 30)
RHP Joe Musgrove (right shoulder capsule inflammation)
Expected return: Late 2023 or 2024
Musgrove began experiencing stiffness in his shoulder following his start against Texas on July 28, and he was shut down from throwing for three weeks. General manager A.J. Preller said doctors believe Musgrove's injury won't require surgery, and there's a chance he could return before the end of the season. In line with that timeline, Musgrove began playing catch on Aug. 25, and said his arm “felt great” -- though he won't begin ramping up his progression until he's played routine catch for at least two weeks without any flare-ups. The Padres may consider shutting Musgrove down at some point if they aren't in contention in mid-to-late September. (Last updated: Aug. 30)
INF Jake Cronenworth (right wrist fracture)
Expected return: Late September or 2024
Cronenworth took a 92.9 mph sinker off his right wrist on Aug. 25. X-rays revealed a right wrist fracture, and he landed on the IL the following day. The expectation is that Cronenworth will avoid surgery, but he will be in a cast for several weeks before he has more imaging to determine his next steps -- putting his status for the remainder of the regular season in doubt. (Last updated: Aug. 28)
RHP Alek Jacob (right elbow inflammation)
Expected return: September
Jacob first began feeling discomfort in his elbow after his outing in Toronto on July 20. A day later, as he warmed up, it re-emerged, and the Padres decided to place him on the IL. Manager Bob Melvin noted that Jacob's absence might be an extended one, though the team does not expect Jacob to need surgery. (Last updated: July 25)
60-day IL
LHP Drew Pomeranz (left flexor tendon surgery)
Expected return: Potentially September
Pomeranz began a rehab stint on Aug. 25 and made his fourth rehab appearance on Sept. 3, pitching a scoreless inning for Triple-A El Paso. After missing the entire 2022 MLB season, Pomeranz underwent what the team called a "cleanup" procedure on his left elbow in May. That operation came after Pomeranz, 34, experienced yet another setback during a rehab outing in late April. When healthy, Pomeranz is a weapon, but he hasn't been able to avoid injury during the life of his four-year contract, pitching just 44 1/3 innings -- all from 2020-21 -- with a 1.62 ERA. (Last updated: Sept. 4)
RHP Drew Carlton (right elbow inflammation)
Expected return: Potentially September
Carlton hasn't pitched for the Padres since late June, and when they needed to clear space on their 40-man roster to promote Ben Gamel, they transferred Carlton to the 60-day IL on Aug. 14. Carlton began a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League on Aug. 18 and pitched a scoreless inning. In his rookie season, Carlton has posted a 4.35 ERA. (Last updated: Aug. 19)
RHP Reiss Knehr (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: 2024
Knehr exited his only start of the season in Pittsburgh on June 27 with elbow soreness. On July 21, manager Bob Melvin announced that Knehr would undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, dealing a blow to the Padres' pitching depth. (Last updated: July 21)