The Padres announced that center fielder Brandon Lockridge has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a left hamstring strain. Infielder/outfielder Connor Joe has been recalled to take his spot on the active roster.
Lockridge, 28, isn’t a big star. He has just 25 big league games to his name and a tepid line of .186/.239/.302 in those. However, the injury is a significant one for the Padres since this now means their starting and backup center fielders are both on the IL at the same time.
Jackson Merrill is, of course, the club’s primary option up the middle. He finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting last year and the club made a strong commitment to him by signing him to a nine-year, $135MM extension a couple of weeks ago.
However, Merrill landed on the IL due to a right hamstring strain just a few days after inking that deal. That meant that Lockridge suddenly became the club’s everyday center fielder. With Lockridge now out of action, due to his own hammy strain, the club will have to get a bit creative.
More to come.
