Padres Make Roster Move, Get Massive Boost Amid Critical Diamondbacks Series

The Padres offense just got a boost.

Jul 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Jake Cronenworth (9) celebrates with designated hitter Gavin Sheets (30) after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The San Diego Padres have activated Gavin Sheets off the injured list ahead of Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/0nwp7p7hb0
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 26, 2026

Sheets, who hasn't played since Aug. 29 due to a foot injury, will be unable to play defense through the end of the regular season and postseason. However, he gives the Padres a designated hitter option and left-handed power bat off the bench.

"I feel good. Feel really good," Sheets said to reporters on Thursday. "I'm just super excited to feel like I'm healthy again and feel like I can contribute. ... Just excited to be back in this clubhouse and feeling really good."

Sheets had been dealing with the lingering foot injury since July, and finally went on the IL to let it heal as much as possible.

“Yeah, obviously for a while was just being in a boot, seeing if we could get some kind of scarring, some kind of healing with the plantar plate,”Sheets said. “And once we went back to Arizona, just to first see if I could do it again, and once we saw how well the recovery had worked, then we just hit a full ramp. A lot of the bats, a lot of swings, a lot of Trajekt, just getting back to game speed. So super happy with where I’ve gotten.”

Sheets admitted he didn't know if he'd be able to return this season, "but a lot of prayer and a really good training staff" got him back in time.

"Great to have Gavin with us," manager Craig Stammen said Thursday. "He says he feels healthier than he has for a little while. We saw him the other day in the live BP, he looked really good. He's taken a ton of at-bats in Arizona — we saw video of that, it looked really good."

It's unclear how Sheets will factor into the team's plans moving forward, but he'll give them a much-needed left-handed bat off the bench. He could very well factor into the team's postseason plans, too.

While he was dealing with the injury for a lot of the year, he still had 16 home runs, 46 RBIs and an OPS of .701 across 123 games.

Last year, he had a breakout season, hitting .252 with 19 home runs, 71 RBIs and an OPS of .746.

"I feel right again," Sheets said. "It's been some time since I felt right."

Add us as a preferred source on Google