SAN DIEGO (AP) — The depleted San Diego Padres placed infielder Jake Cronenworth on the 10-day injured list on Friday with a right rib fracture.
The move with Cronenworth came after center fielder Jackson Merrill went on the 10-day IL on Tuesday because of a right hamstring strain. The IL stint for Cronenworth was made retroactive to Wednesday.
The Padres also are playing without right-hander Yu Darvish, who began the season on the IL because of elbow inflammation.
They did get some good news Friday when star Fernando Tatis Jr. returned to the lineup and batted leadoff and played right field in the opener of a weekend series against Colorado. Tatis left Tuesday night's game against the Athletics after experiencing left shoulder discomfort stemming from a slide.
Cronenworth also left Tuesday night's game after taking a swing. He was hit by a pitch Sunday in a game at the Chicago Cubs. He said he had an MRI on Thursday, a day off.
He thought it was a bruise and could play through it. He homered on Monday in a 5-4 win against the Athletics.
“It's frustrating, but it happens,” Cronenworth said. “It didn't feel great Sunday when it happened, even Monday, then water over the boat on Tuesday and kind of just the tip of the iceberg.”
The 31-year-old Cronenworth is batting .257 with two homers and five RBIs in 12 games this season. The two-time All-Star hit .241 with 17 homers and 83 RBIs in 155 games in 2024.
Even with all the injuries, San Diego became the first major league team with 10 wins after it beat the Athletics 2-1 on Wednesday.
Third baseman Tyler Wade was promoted from Triple-A El Paso before Friday night's game. Right-hander Matt Waldron, who has a left oblique muscle strain, was transferred to the 60-day IL.
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