Padres shortstop Erick Aybar has been diagnosed with a fractured foot, according to Nathan Ruiz of MLB.com (via Twitter). He is said to be looking at an extended absence, with the best-case scenario being a return in the middle of September.
Aybar, 33, was hitting just .227/.295/.346 on the year over 291 plate appearances. He’s still a palatable defender at short, though metrics see him as average or slightly below at the position. All told, Aybar is now well removed from his days as a quality regular.
The news won’t impact the organization’s broader fortunes, as Aybar is a rental player and the club obviously isn’t going to make the postseason this year. There’s no chance that the Pads will be giving up significant value just to plug the hole, then, though a veteran fill-in could be considered and the team will no doubt continue looking for a long-term solution.
In the meantime, though, the Pads will get a longer look at a player who could be an important part of the team’s future. Rule 5 pick Allen Cordoba has struggled to a .225/.283/.312 batting line on the season after a torrid start, but he’ll likely see yet more time down the stretch unless there’s a new addition. San Diego can also utilize the just-recalled Dusty Coleman at short.
padresfan
Time for Córdoba to get his extended look
bitterpadresfan
Given his age I don’t mind his bat but Córdoba is atrocious at short. He may surprise but at this point I don’t see him being able to stick there.
saavedra
To this date i still don’t understand why the padres gave the SS job to this guy and not Luis Sardinas. At least they would know by now if he could have handled it. Instead they got another year of mediocre SS results.
padresfan
Bc Erick out played sardines in the spring
He was so bad that he was dfa
dvmwitt
He hit a buck 63 for the Padres. He stunk. Aybar outplayed him and they also have Cordoba. Sardinas was relegated to the OF.
SixFlagsMagicPadres
Because Sardinas is just that bad. Aybar beat him out for the job, so it makes sense he was DFA’d.
outinleftfield
The same Sardinas that hit .163 for them this season before they cut him and has a .656 OPS in the minors for my O’s this season?
Ully
Isn’t the only way we hear that a Padres player is injured after he has been traded away?
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
agentx
Zing!!
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
This really impacts this year’s MVP balloting
padresfan
It does
Bc you’re the real MVP Ryan
Aussie_dodger
Maybe if Brad Hand is traded they could ask for a shortstop to replace Aybar in the package.
I heard AJ Preller has a ridiculous asking price for Hand.
bleacherbum
Even if Hand isn’t traded the Padres still have to unload Chacin and Stammen for sure, they have pitched well enough to package together to get something. Tampa Bay is said to be looking for bullpen help still after acquiring Romo. Both free agents at year’s end, makes all the sense in the world to deal them. Attach Pirela or Spangenberg to them and we could possibly pry away one of the glut of MLB ready SS they have, Adames is off-limits especially with the weak package SD would be offering but I could see Tim Beckham, Matt Duffy or Daniel Robertson coming back to SD and stepping in to play SS immediately.
ReverieDays
Did you see what they got in the trade today? Garbage for slightly less bad Garbage. Stammen and Chacin would bring back similar.
padresfan
It’s a lefty arm for this year and next year for less than the padres paid Cahill this year
Maurer was trash
Butcher is ok
This is the ranking padres
That reliever though has value once healed
The real gem is that 18 year old suspect
If chacin and stamen can bring in another arm for next year as well it’s a win
padresfan
Tanking
alexryanperry
Strahm was the Royals top prospect pre-2017 per Fangraphs and is out for the year with a non-throwing injury.
Wood is a reclamation project that the Royals are paying for this year and next. He could easily be flipped next year if things pan out.
Ruiz is a lottery ticket. Who knows what will happen with him?
Fair trade with fair risk on each side.
padreforlife
Preller was stellar on TV telecast last night a lot of “you knows” and charisma and confidence of a plant