<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/padres-news-xander-bogaerts-issues-epic-jackson-merrill-claim-huge-game-2');   ga('set', 'title', 'Padres’ Xander Bogaerts issues epic Jackson Merrill claim after huge Game 2 outing');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Xander-Bogaerts-issues-epic-Jackson-Merrill-claim-after-huge-Game-2-outing.jpg"></figure><h1>Padres’ Xander Bogaerts issues epic Jackson Merrill claim after huge Game 2 outing</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-07T12:35:13-07:00">October 7th, 12:35pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-07T12:35:31-07:00">October 7th, 12:35pm</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With tensions rising in Dodger Stadium, it was easy to overlook the marvelous effort that standout rookie Jackson Merrill put together in Sunday’s 10-2 win over the Dodgers. His rapid ascent is notably continuing in the MLB playoffs, in the midst of arguably baseball’s most intense rivalry today. The All-Star outfielder has flaunted his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/padres-news-jackson-merrill-teammate-freak-playoff-heroics">renown nerves of steel</a> often enough for people to realize that he is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5824575/2024/10/07/padres-nlds-jackson-merrill/" rel="noopener">not merely on a hot streak</a>.</p><p>Merrill is built for the moment. Just ask Xander Bogaerts, another player who knows how it feels to produce at a high level in the playoffs at only 21 years of age.</p><p>“Man, that guy is different,” the veteran shortstop said after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/padres-news-jurickson-profar-message-san-diego-fans-ugliness-dodger-stadium">a chaotic Game 2</a> of the NL Division Series, per The Athletic’s Dennis Lin. “It ain’t luck. It ain’t pretending. He knows he’s a bad dude, and he feels it, and he believes it, and that’s who he is.”</p><p>While Bogaerts missed almost two months of action with a shoulder fracture, he witnessed Merrill quickly cement himself as one of the most clutch hitters in the game. The 2021 first-round draft pick is still answering the call during the most important time of the year.</p><h2><b>Is Jackson Merrill already the Padres’ X-factor?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Padres-Jackson-Merrill-rounds-the-bases.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Merrill went 3-for-5 with one home run and three RBIs in the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/padres-news-how-manny-machado-rallied-together-heated-game-2-dodgers">Padres’ series-tying victory</a>. Superb outings by Fernando Tatis Jr. (3-for-4, two homers and three RBIs) and starting pitcher Yu Darvish (one earned run in seven innings) prevented the shortstop-turned-center fielder from being a Game 2 hero, per se, but he is still making a thunderous statement.</p><p>Bogaerts is right. Merrill is not stumbling his way into big hits. He is a key reason why San Diego is back in the MLB playoffs after a disappointing 2023 season. When the two-time World Series champion, Tatis and other Padres stars were sidelined with injuries, this stellar athlete helped keep the club in contention. Now, they are two home wins away from slaying the Dodgers and returning to the NL Championship Series.</p><p>Jackson Merrill may soon be rewarded for his invaluable contributions, which include a .292 batting average, 24 home runs and an outstanding <a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/jackson-merrill-701538?stats=statcast-r-fielding-mlb" rel="noopener">11 outs above average</a> in center, via Baseball Savant. In a year when the MLB was introduced to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pirates-news-paul-skenes-perfect-admission-dominant-rookie-season">one of the most electric pitchers</a> in recent memory, it is a testament to Merrill’s greatness that he has a legitimate chance to win NL Rookie of the Year.</p><p>Regardless of the outcome of that race, he is already earning respect from people all around the sport. That especially includes the Dodgers pitching staff. Merrill and the Padres will once again try to bury their in-state nemesis when LA rolls into Petco Park on Tuesday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Padres’ Xander Bogaerts issues epic Jackson Merrill claim after huge Game 2 outing

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/padres-news-san-diego-positive-xander-bogaerts-injury-update');   ga('set', 'title', 'Padres get positive Xander Bogaerts injury update');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/San-Diego-gets-positive-Xander-Bogaerts-injury-update.jpg"></figure><h1>Padres get positive Xander Bogaerts injury update</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-07-10T17:56:59-07:00">July 10th, 5:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-07-10T18:39:05-07:00">July 10th, 6:39pm</time><address><a>Brian Buyawe</a>Brian Buyawe is an NBA, NFL, NCAA Football, and NCAA Basketball writer for ClutchPoints. His advanced knowledge of basketball, football, and Formula One started at an early age, allowing him to provide in-depth analysis.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Xander Bogaerts’ recovery seems to be going as planned. In preparation for his highly-anticipated return, the slugger will be getting some reps in <a href="https://x.com/Storm_Baseball/status/1811085369217302733" rel="noopener">with Single-A Lake Elsinore</a> on Wednesday and Thursday. Additionally, Bogaerts is reportedly <a href="https://x.com/sdutKevinAcee/status/1810745995585802532" rel="noopener">on track to rejoin</a> the San Diego Padres in their final series before the All-Star break. (per Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune)</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">JUST IN: The 2x World Series Champion, 5x Silver Slugger, 4x All-Star, and current Padre Xander Bogaerts is scheduled to appear in tonight's (Wednesday, July 10th) and tomorrow's (Thursday, July 11th) games at The Lake Elsinore Diamond!</p><p>🎟️: <a href="https://t.co/JNXGUrJaVQ">https://t.co/JNXGUrJaVQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/pyJXnUDtlp">pic.twitter.com/pyJXnUDtlp</a></p><p>— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) <a href="https://twitter.com/Storm_Baseball/status/1811085369217302733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Back on May 20, the infielder hurt his left shoulder while diving for a ground ball against the Atlanta Braves. While initial scans didn’t show anything serious, further testing revealed that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/padres-news-xander-bogaerts-injury-timeline">Bogaerts suffered a shoulder fracture</a>. This kept him sidelined for the rest of May and the entirety of June.</p><p>He eventually progressed to a Triple-A assignment this past week, seeing action in four games with El-Paso. During that span, Bogaerts went 2-for-11 (.182) with an extra-base hit and four walks. While one can argue that the four-time All-Star might need more time to find his footing, Bogaerts himself <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/xander-bogaerts-nearing-return-from-shoulder-injury" rel="noopener">feels that he’s close</a> to a return.</p><p>“We’re playing really well right now,” Bogaerts said, per MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell. “I want to be there. But I feel like I’m a couple of games away from meeting up with the team…I’ve waited so long already. I feel like I’m close. The tough part has been waiting.”</p><h2><b>More on Xander Bogaerts and the Padres</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Xander-Bogaerts-rounds-the-bases-after-a-home-run.jpg"><figcaption>© Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>It hasn’t been the best year for the two-time champ. Before his most recent injury, Bogaerts slashed .219/.265/.316 through 47 games. Nevertheless, there’s plenty of room to bounce back, considering how the first half of the season is just about to end.</p><p>And looking at <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mariners-vs-padres-prediction-odds-pick-7-10-2024">the Padres’ schedule</a>, Bogaerts is probably itching for a big performance on his first game back (if his timetable holds true). After all, it’s worth mentioning that San Diego will be taking on the Braves to end their pre-All-Star break schedule. To be able to return and show out against the same opponent that one suffered an injury against — it would make for an amazing storyline.</p><p>Of course, as much as Padres fans can daydream about that scenario, only Bogaerts himself can make it happen. He did have some good games before his shoulder ordeal, so that’s something to keep in mind. Still, San Diego faces a looming problem in light of their eventual reunion with the slugger: the infield lineup.</p><p>With Bogaerts sidelined, Luis Arraez has been assigned to first base while Jake Cronenworth has been playing at second. Donovan Solano has been seeing more action at third, plus there’s Manny Machado and Ha-Seong Kim to consider. In other words, someone will have to sacrifice his role once Xander Bogaerts returns to the infield.</p><p>Team manager Mike Shilt surely hopes to solve the problem without repercussions, considering how the Padres have generally done well so far. The team currently holds a 49-46 record while ranking 2nd in the NL West. They’re on pace for a playoff campaign, and they undoubtedly want to redeem themselves from that disappointing 2023 season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Padres get positive Xander Bogaerts injury update

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/padres-news-fernando-tatis-jr-brutally-honest-xander-bogaerts-injury-absence');   ga('set', 'title', 'Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. gets brutally honest on Xander Bogaerts’ injury absence');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Padres-news-Manny-Machado-Fernando-Tatis-Jr.-get-brutally-honest-on-Xander-Bogaerts-injury-absence.jpg"></figure><h1>Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. gets brutally honest on Xander Bogaerts’ injury absence</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-05-24T17:09:08-07:00">May 24th, 5:09pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-05-24T17:09:44-07:00">May 24th, 5:09pm</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The San Diego Padres (27-26) still have their share of flaws, but one area they excel in is compiling infield depth. President of baseball operations A.J. Preller prides himself on being able to acquire a versatile position player who can pack some pop at the plate. The philosophy has not always translated to wins, but it sure comes in handy <a href="https://x.com/973TheFanSD/status/1794131418232357310" rel="noopener">when an injury occurs</a>.</p><p>Some players carry value that goes beyond the metrics, though. The Padres are still processing <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/padres-news-xander-bogaerts-suffers-shoulder-injury-braves">the latest news</a> that Xander Bogaerts will “miss significant time” with a shoulder fracture.</p><p>“It’s like losing half of our body,” Fernando Tatis Jr. told the media, per 97.3 The Fan. “Xander is a great player. We are definitely going to be missing him in the time he’s out, but we’re going to hold the line for him until he’ll come back and hopefully he’ll come 100 percent.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fernando Tatis Jr. was asked how big of a blow it is to lose Xander Bogaerts to injury: <a href="https://t.co/aC4oJEU2nr">pic.twitter.com/aC4oJEU2nr</a></p><p>— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) <a href="https://twitter.com/973TheFanSD/status/1794131418232357310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Players who are batting only .219 with a .316 slugging percentage and .581 OPS are not typically considered essential for a club’s survival, but Bogaerts’ frightful first two months obviously do not tell the whole story.</p><p>He endured a tough stretch during the spring and early-summer of 2023 before reclaiming his All-Star production by the end of the year. The 31-year-old batted .285 and hit 19 home runs while playing 155 games last season, starting his 11-year, $280 million contract on the right foot.</p><p>More than just his stats, though, Bogaerts provides exemplary leadership and a ton of big-game experience (won two World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox). He is beloved by teammates and fans alike, which can be crucial for a team with San Diego’s knack for inconsistency.</p><p>Padres ownership might not be overly focused on Xander Bogaerts’ intangibles, though. Their monster investment is in jeopardy of crumbling well before the midway point.</p><h2><b>Can Xander Bogaerts bounce back and stay productive for Padres?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Padres-Xander-Bogaerts-trots-around-the-bases-after-going-yard.jpg"><figcaption>Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>When it comes to these 10-year-plus deals, it is unwise to look ahead. Teams and fans know the move is a gross overpay, and they accept it as long as it leads to substantial success for the first several years. But Bogaerts’ nascent tenure in San Diego has been overshadowed by collective failures and harsh individual truths.</p><p>The five-time Silver Slugger-winning shortstop was moved to second base before the start of the 2024 season, quite a bit earlier than he expected or hoped when he signed with the club more than 17 months ago. Now, he is sidelined with a serious injury. This could just be a season to forget for the Aruba-born athlete. Though, there is also a chance this is a sign of what is to come across the next decade.</p><p>San Diego has suffered through enough back-breaking setbacks throughout this century, so fans will want to stay positive through this ordeal. Luis Arraez is making it easy to refrain from thinking about any nightmarish scenarios with his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/padres-news-luis-arraez-matches-tony-gwynn-with-insane-hot-streak">historic hitting streak,</a> and guys like Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. should be too talented to fly under-the-radar for much longer.</p><p>Ergo, there are still reasons for fans to feel optimistic about Friars baseball. The Padres will look to stay in playoff contention until <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/padres-news-xander-bogaerts-injury-timeline">Xander Bogaerts hopefully returns</a> at some point this year, starting <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-games-memorial-day-weekend">with a grueling test</a> against the American League-leading New York Yankees (35-17) in Petco Park.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. gets brutally honest on Xander Bogaerts’ injury absence

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/padres-news-xander-bogaerts-injury-timeline');   ga('set', 'title', 'Padres’ Xander Bogaerts makes strong vow after crushing injury timeline');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Xander-Bogaerts-makes-strong-vow-after-crushing-injury-timeline.jpg"></figure><h1>Padres’ Xander Bogaerts makes strong vow after crushing injury timeline</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-05-22T14:52:39-07:00">May 22nd, 2:52pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-05-22T14:52:39-07:00">May 22nd, 2:52pm</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from a small town in Southern California. Mistretta graduated college with a degree in broadcast journalism from Biola University.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The San Diego Padres <a href="https://x.com/sdutKevinAcee/status/1793374763890639167" rel="noopener">reportedly placed</a> second baseman Xander Bogaerts on the injured list Wednesday with a fracture in his left shoulder, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/padres-news-xander-bogaerts-suffers-shoulder-injury-braves">injury occurred Monday</a> against the Atlanta Braves. Acee also <a href="https://x.com/sdutkevinacee/status/1793377602343960846?s=46&amp;t=YAm5wwmcnC6J27chz4RDIQ" rel="noopener">provided an update</a> on Bogaerts’ injury timeline.</p><p>“Xander Bogaerts has a fracture in his left shoulder. No indication of labrum tear or need for surgery. Bone has to heal. He intends to play again this season, perhaps by late summer. He remains in Cincinnati with team and more tests are planned today,” Acee wrote on X (formerly Twitter).</p><p>The fact that Bogaerts is hoping to return in 2024 is a positive sign. Still, losing a star like Bogaerts for a significant amount of time is far from ideal. The Padres are certainly hopeful he will be able to return as soon as possible.</p><p>Bogaerts <a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2024-05-22/padres-pregame-xander-bogaerts-to-il-with-shoulder-fracture-david-peralta-recalled" rel="noopener">sent a message</a> to Padres fans after the injury news, via an article by Acee in The San Diego Union-Tribune.</p><p>“I’ll be back. I’m a quick healer,” Bogaerts said. “It’s been a weird year. But I still have a chance to come back and be a part of something special. It’s better than not being able to come back.”</p><h2><b>Xander Bogaerts’ 2024 struggles before injury</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Xander-Bogaerts-hits-a-single-vs-Braves.jpg"><figcaption>Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Bogaerts, 31, features the ability to play at a high level. When he is on top of his game, Bogaerts is one of the best middle infielders in the sport. In 2024, though, Bogaerts has struggled.</p><p>He has slashed just .219/.265/.316/.581 through 47 games played. Again, Bogaerts’ ceiling is quite high. He is a four-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger Award winner.</p><p>If Bogaerts is able to return in 2024, which is what he is expecting, the Padres could end up making a playoff push. Their chances of competing for a National League West title are slim, but San Diego may be able to clinch an NL Wild Card spot. Doing so will not be easy, but having Bogaerts return for a potential stretch run would give the ball club a necessary boost.</p><p>The Padres will need to stay afloat amid Bogaerts’ absence, though. And even with Bogaerts in the lineup, the 2024 season has not exactly gone according to plan.</p><h2><b>Padres’ inconsistent 2024 campaign</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Fernando-Tatis-Jr-hits-a-single-vs-Reds.jpg"><figcaption>© Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption></figure><p>The Padres are in second place in the NL West as of this story’s writing. With that being said, San Diego holds a mediocre 25-26 record, which places them eight games behind the 33-18 Los Angeles Dodgers. LA happens to be one of the best teams in MLB, while every other ball club in the NL West is currently under .500.</p><p>Sure, the division is not technically decided yet. After all, we are still in May. But surpassing the Dodgers in the division will prove to be an immense challenge.</p><p>Fortunately for the Padres, MLB now has three wild card teams. As a result, we saw teams with records of just above .500 make the playoffs in 2023. The Padres could accomplish a similar feat during the 2024 season.</p><p>Of course, San Diego would love to finish the year with a record well above .500. They will need to develop far more consistency moving forward if they want to make that happen, though.</p><p>The Padres have a talented roster. It is difficult to deny the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/padres-news-yu-darvish-cy-young-club-performance-vs-braves">team’s potential</a>. Perhaps San Diego will heat up over the next few months and establish themselves as a legitimate contender.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Padres’ Xander Bogaerts makes strong vow after crushing injury timeline

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/padres-news-xander-bogaerts-suffers-shoulder-injury-braves');   ga('set', 'title', 'Padres’ Xander Bogaerts suffers shoulder injury vs. Braves');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Xander-Bogaerts-suffers-shoulder-injury-vs.-Braves.jpg"></figure><h1>Padres’ Xander Bogaerts suffers shoulder injury vs. Braves</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-05-20T13:15:31-07:00">May 20th, 1:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-05-20T13:40:31-07:00">May 20th, 1:40pm</time><address><a>Owen Crisafulli</a>Owen Crisafulli is a Senior Editor and NFL Lead at ClutchPoints. He recently received his Masters in Business Administration from Nichols College. Previously, he obtained his Bachelor's degree in Sport Management and for a while ran his own sports website. Sports are his passion, and he thoroughly enjoys writing about thoughts and opinions that are related to the game. He has been a lifelong fan of the major professional teams in Boston and loves discussing all topics surrounding those teams.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The San Diego Padres are in the middle of a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/padres-vs-braves-prediction-odds-pick-5-20-2024">four-game series</a> with the Atlanta Braves, and they are looking to earn the series win with an early afternoon victory on Monday. Along the way, though, the Padres lost star second baseman Xander Bogaerts, as he was forced out of the game early after <a href="https://x.com/TalkingFriars/status/1792605805361115540" rel="noopener">suffering a shoulder injury</a>.</p><p>With the bases loaded in the bottom of the third, Bogaerts dived to his left to snag a hard-hit grounder off the bat of Ronald Acuna Jr. While Bogaerts managed to catch the ball off the bounce, he landed on his left shoulder very awkwardly, and stayed on the ground as a run came in to score. Bogaerts was promptly removed from the game, with Tyler Wade being brought in to replace him at second base.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Xander Bogaerts has left the game. That didn't look good <a href="https://t.co/RueTOafjFV">pic.twitter.com/RueTOafjFV</a></p><p>— Talking Friars (@TalkingFriars) <a href="https://twitter.com/TalkingFriars/status/1792605805361115540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Padres hoping Xander Bogaerts’ shoulder injury isn’t serious</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Xander-Bogaerts-of-the-Padres.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Anytime a player is quickly forced out of a game with an injury, it’s never a good sign, and Bogaerts appeared to be in quite a bit of pain after making this play. The hope is that he can avoid a stint on the injured list, but details are still fairly scarce on the injury, so we won’t really know the severity of it until tests have been done.</p><p>After the game, the <a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2024-05-20/padres-braves-xander-bogaerts-injury-manny-machado-dylan-cease-double-header-chris-sale-randy-vasquez" rel="noopener">update came in</a> from the Pafres (h/t Kevin Acc of The San Diego Union-Tribune).</p><p>‘The Padres are for now calling the injury a mild shoulder inflammation. Bogaerts is expected to receive further treatment Monday and be examined further Tuesday.’</p><p>Mike Shildt, the Padres manager, described these results as a “best-case scenario.”</p><p>“He’s got stability — more than it looked like he might have — and he’s got some strength and some range of motion,” Shildt said. “More time will tell, but at least the initial feedback is initially best-case scenario.”</p><p>This is another tough blow for Bogaerts, who has had a sluggish start to the 2024 campaign so far (.220 BA, 4 HR, 14 RBI, .584 OPS). Things certainly haven’t been going right for him at the plate, and now he has an injury he has to worry about in addition to those struggles. It’s safe to say that things couldn’t be going much worse for Bogaerts right now.</p><p>Wade replaced Bogaerts in this game, and if he ends up being forced to miss an extended period of time, chances are he would take over for him on a full-time basis for however long that ends up being. Wade hasn’t been much better than Bogaerts so far this season (.246 BA, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .609 OPS), but if he struggles, the Padres have several other guys, such as Jake Cronenworth or Ha-Seong Kim, who can fill in at this spot in a pinch.</p><p>This is another unsettling development in Bogaerts’ short Padres tenure which has already been full of disappointing moments. Bogaerts wasn’t bad in 2023, but he was fairly underwhelming after he signed an 11-year, $280 million contract in free agency during the offseason. He then was moved from his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/padres-news-ha-seong-kim-switching-positions-xander-bogaerts">natural position</a> in shortstop to second base ahead of the season in a rather controversial decision.</p><p>Bogaerts will hopefully be able to return to the field soon, and once he does, he’s going to have to find a way to get going at the plate. If his struggles continue, public perception of his deal with San Diego could continue to become increasingly sour, which is pretty much the last thing both Bogaerts and the Padres want right now.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024 SEASON STATS
BA	HR	RBI	OPS	SB
.167	1	4	0.564	0

2024 SEASON STATS
BA	HR	RBI	OPS	SB
.167	1	4	0.564	0

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