The Padres announced that infielder/designated hitter Miguel Andujar has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right wrist fracture. Catcher Rodolfo Durán has been recalled as the corresponding move. Per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com, the Padres expect Andujar to return some time in August.
The injury occurred yesterday. As seen in this clip from Baseball Savant, a pitch from Lucas Erceg runs inside and hits Andujar on the arm. Andujar stayed in the game but presumably felt sore after, which led to some tests and the revelation of this fracture.
Though Andujar is apparently only going to miss a few weeks, it’s a notable development for the club. Andujar is having a solid season, hitting .259/.303/.423 for a wRC+ of 100, indicating his offense has been exactly league average. That may not sound incredibly important but the Padres have been struggling to get offense this year. Ty France, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Gavin Sheets are the only three guys on the team with at least 110 plate appearances and a wRC+ above par.
The Padres are 49-50 and 2.5 games back of a playoff spot. With the trade deadline two weeks away, they are reportedly on the fence about whether to buy or sell, with their play in the near future to play a large role in that decision. Losing one of their few decent bats could potentially tip the scales.
If the Friars did decide to sell, Andujar would be a logical trade candidate. He is an impending free agent, as the club signed him to a one-year deal worth $4MM in the offseason. He wouldn’t have huge value as a serviceable role player, but the club may have been able to flip him for a lottery ticket prospect. He can still be traded if he is on the injured list but his value will naturally be lower while his status is questionable.
Andujar has mostly been serving as the designated hitter, with occasional appearances at third base. The recall of Durán was mostly due to him being there. Per Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune, he was on the taxi squad due to catcher Luis Campusano having an oblique issue. Perhaps the Padres will call up someone else and send down Durán in the coming days, or put Campusano on the IL.
If Campusano is feeling all right, he could pick up some DH at-bats while Durán serves as the backup catcher. Luis Rengifo, Sung-Mun Song and Jase Bowen are on the bench and could get some more playing time as well. Will Wagner and Mason McCoy are on the 40-man roster and could be recalled from their optional assignments.
Photo courtesy of David Frerker, Imagn Images
