Padres' Sung-Mun Song in Danger of Missing Opening Day

San Diego Padres infielder Sung-Mun Song is in danger of missing Opening Day due to the oblique injury he reaggravated last week.

Manager Craig Stammen provided the latest update on Song, who signed a four-year, $15 million deal with the Padres this offseason.

“Song has been getting treatment. I believe he played catch yesterday, so hasn’t started swinging yet,” Stammen said Monday. “Day-to-day on how that’s gonna go depending on how he feels. And hopefully we can get him back to where we can get him into more spring training games.”

Stammen was coy when reporters asked whether Opening Day was in question for the infielder.

“Maybe. Any injury at this point is probably 'in question,'" Stammen said. "But things can change rather quickly. I know we look at Opening Day as like a start and a stop, but that’s just not how we look at it. We’re gonna get him right when he’s right."

On Monday, Song participated in light running and fielded grounders at third. He said he feels OK, but that hitting will take more time.

Song sustained the injury in last week's 27-6 beatdown of the Seattle Mariners. The right oblique is the same place he suffered an injury in the offseason, which is why the Padres are going to be extra cautious with Song's recovery.

What Position Will Sung-Mun Song Play for the Padres?

Song could be the Padres' super utility man if all goes according to plan in 2026, but the injury is a huge setback as the 29-year-old is still adjusting to big league pitching.

Overseas, Song played third, second and first base for the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization. President of baseball operations A.J. Preller added Song in the hopes he'd serve as a versatile roster piece for the Padres, and that remains the plan for the infielder.

“He’s been really a super productive player, and we feel like we’ll have some versatility,” Preller said. “He’s somebody that’s been on our radar here for at least the last couple years.”

However, the setback will inevitably push back Song's progress this spring as he competes for at-bats. The good news is the Padres have found their next utility man, who Stammen likened to Los Angeles Dodgers star Kiké Hernandez.

"Any player that can provide versatility is a valuable player in the big leagues,” Stammen said. “A lot of the teams that end up getting to the World Series, winning the World Series, they have parts that are moveable. You saw it with the Dodgers last year with how they used Kiké Hernández, Miguel Rojas and Tommy Edman, moving them all over the field. We see him as being able to do that — to play third base, second base, maybe some first base, maybe some outfield.”

The Padres had begun experimenting with Song at shortstop and plan to do the same in the outfield. Should Song find success in the big leagues, the Padres will have an invaluable piece on their roster for years to come.

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