Padres Injured Center Fielder Hoping to Be Activated Off IL As Soon As Eligible

Apr 2, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23), left, Jackson Merrill (3), center and Brandon Lockridge (28) celebrate after the Padres beat the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres lost two center fielders to injury in a matter of days. Jackson Merrill and Brandon Lockridge are both on the injured list with hamstring strains.

More news: Padres’ Jackson Merrill May Be Out Longer Than Expected Based on Latest Development

Merrill has done some bunting earlier this week, and is in the early stages of returning to regular baseball activity. But the starting center fielder has not even begun to jog.

On the other hand, Lockridge appears to be more likely to return sooner. He has begun some light jogging this week, and has shown significant improvement with his hamstring strain.

Lockridge is actually confident he will be ready to go once he is eligible to return from the 10-day IL. The 28-year-old sustained the injury in the series finale against the Colorado Rockies last Sunday.

Lockridge explained what happened when he tried to beat out a double play in the seventh inning.

“Right when I made contact with the base, I felt like a kind of a sharp shoot down my hip,” Lockridge said after the game. “I got it checked out by the doctor already and doesn’t seem to be severe. … I know that if I babied it, I could have maybe stayed out there, but I know having this in the past, if I’ve tried to bust it again, it probably makes it much worse.”

The Padres also acquired outfielder Bryce Johnson via trade Wednesday, which should provide more depth at center. He made 47 appearances for the Padres last season, slashing .206/.286/.238 with 13 hits, four RBIs, and seven walks.

The Padres have already lost multiple key players to injury, but have not let that affect their record. The Friars lead the NL West at 15-4 and have showed no signs of slowing down.

More news: Padres Officially Land Jackson Merrill Replacement in Trade With Pirates

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