The Padres accomplished their first half with a 6-3 loss to the Braves, and San Diego enters the All-Star break with a 50-49 file and a +12 run differential. Whereas the Nationwide League wild-card race remains to be very crowded, the Padres are a recreation out of a playoff spot and nonetheless in good place to make a run within the second half, although they’ll want good well being and continued manufacturing from their star gamers to make it occur.
With this in thoughts, Luis Arraez informed reporters (together with Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune) that he gained’t be enjoying in Tuesday’s All-Star Recreation. Arraez was named to the NL’s bench squad and can nonetheless attend the festivities in Arlington since his mother and father and sister shall be in attendance on the Midsummer Traditional for the primary time, however the infielder gained’t be taking the sphere as a result of “I want the remainder” for his injured left thumb.
Arraez jammed his thumb whereas sliding into third base throughout the Padres’ 9-7 win over the Nationals on June 25, and has since been making an attempt to play by some severe discomfort at any time when he fields the ball or takes a swing. Scans haven’t revealed any structural harm to the thumb, however Arraez not too long ago informed Acee and firm that he has been wrapping the bottom of his thumb for each recreation.
“I don’t really feel 100%. However each time I contact the road, I wish to give 100% to the supervisor and to my teammates,” Arraez mentioned.
It’s a testomony to Arraez’s toughness and skill that he has nonetheless continued to hit even whereas enjoying by this ache, even when his energy has been much more restricted by his thumb harm. Arraez is batting .309/.321/.346 over 56 plate appearances within the 13 video games he has performed since hurting his thumb, but solely two of his 17 hits have been for further bases (each doubles). Although Arraez is understood for his contact hitting moreso than his energy, that .346 slugging proportion is effectively beneath the .427 profession mark he posted in his first 5 MLB seasons with the Twins and Marlins.
Fernando Tatis Jr. can be hoping to take a step in direction of getting again onto the sphere when he undergoes an MRI throughout the All-Star break. Tatis was positioned on the 10-day injured checklist on June 22 attributable to a proper femoral stress response and informed The Athletic’s Dennis Lin and different reporters on Friday that he was now not feeling any ache in his proper leg. That is excellent news contemplating the unsure nature of the harm, although whereas Tatis mentioned he’ll “positively” play once more in 2024, he didn’t have some other updates on when precisely he would possibly be capable to return.
The truth that the harm was probably seen as season-ending is actually a priority, and itself maybe an indication that Tatis isn’t out of the woods of being on a path to full health. The upcoming MRI will probably shed some mild on a restoration timetable, and for now, Tatis’ baseball-related exercise has been restricted to solely dry swings.
Shifting from lineup accidents to rotation accidents, Joe Musgrove is slated for a full bullpen session on Wednesday. Musgrove is eligible to return from the 60-day IL when his minimal absence time is up in late July, however his return from bone spurs in his proper elbow will certainly be delayed into August because the righty is barely simply within the early levels of his throwing development. As per Acee, Musgrove will restrict himself to throwing solely fastballs in his first couple of bullpen periods.
Between this IL stint and one other go to to the 10-day IL attributable to triceps tendinitis in the beginning of the season, Musgrove has thrown solely 49 1/3 innings in 2024 and struggled to a 5.66 ERA. This marks the second straight injury-marred yr for Musgrove, as a damaged toe and shoulder irritation restricted him to 97 1/3 innings in 2023, although he was more practical when he did pitch, delivering a 3.05 ERA.
