San Diego Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth was activated from the concussion injured list on Monday after an eight-week absence.
The 32-year-old veteran started at second base Monday night against the host Chicago Cubs.
“It’s great to have Crony back,” San Diego manager Craig Stammen said. “We missed him, definitely. A guy that’s been a part of our team for a while, someone that’s just steady, professional at-bat all the time, and then a great second baseman. He’s just a value add when we get him back.”
Cronenworth got hurt when struck in the jaw by a fastball from the Los Angeles Angels’ Yusei Kikuchi on April 18. He struggled over the next two weeks before finally landing on the IL because of concussion-related vision problems.
The two-time All-Star was batting .144 with one homer and four RBIs in 32 games this season when he went on the IL.
Cronenworth began play Monday with a career .244 batting average, a .333 on-base percentage, a .399 slugging percentage, 81 home runs and 373 RBIs in 813 games over seven major league seasons, all with San Diego.
The Padres cleared a roster spot for Cronenworth by optioning infielder Will Wagner to Triple-A El Paso. Wagner, 27, had a .257/.422/.286 batting line with no homers and no RBIs in 16 games for San Diego this year.
San Diego also made a bullpen change, recalling right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez from Double-A San Antonio to replace right-hander David Morgan, who landed on the 15-day injured list because of left knee inflammation.
Morgan, 26, was 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA in 18 relief outings for the Padres this season.
Rodriguez, 22, gave up a hit but struck out two of the four batters he faced in a scoreless outing Monday against the Cubs. In 32 appearances (three starts) for the Padres this year, he is 1-2 with a 2.06 ERA.
–Field Level Media
