The San Diego Padres made a swath of roster changes ahead of their series opener against the Chicago Cubs Monday night. Unfortunately, it did nothing to stop their skid, which reached three consecutive losses. The Padres were walked off for the first time this season by the Cubs, with Seiya Suzuki hitting a single into the infamous ivy wall off of closer Mason Miller. It was a heartbreaking loss for the floundering Padres.
The club will still look to these returners to help bolster them for their next two games against Chicago. They’ve proven to be difference-makers in the past. They could still be now, despite some recent struggles. If these returning players can make an impact with the club, it would be a massive swing in the Padres’ favor. If not, the organization could be relegated to the worst category in baseball: mediocre.
Padres’ Flurry of Moves Before Key Series
Cronenworth’s Long-Awaited Comeback
After taking a pitch to the chin in mid-April, Jake Cronenworth has been sidelined with concussion symptoms for just over two months. It was surprising to see him placed on the injured list in the first place, but staying on it for so long was even more shocking.
Cronenworth has been a serviceable role player for many years. He was an All-Star in 2021 and ’22, but his production has tapered off since then. The infielder hasn’t batted above .246 in a single season and owns a combined .214 batting average from 2023-26. Cronenworth had been swinging a cold bat before his IL stint, batting .144 across 32 games with San Diego
In a corresponding move, Will Wagner will be optioned to Triple-A El Paso to make room for Cronenworth. The longtime Padres second baseman started the series opener in Chicago and went 0-for-3 at the plate. It remains to be seen whether Cronenworth still has more to offer them. If not, he could be the subject of trade rumors come the August 3 Deadline.
Morgan Swapped for Rodriguez
It’s an understatement to say that San Diego has a good bullpen. Between Jason Adam, Miller, and Adrian Morejon, the club is rife with dominant relief weapons. Even guys like Yuki Matsui and Wandy Peralta have quietly put up fantastic seasons with the Padres (1.53 and 1.69 ERA, respectively). Bradgley Rodriguez has been a critical piece of that.
In his rookie season, Rodriguez has authored a 2.06 ERA through 35 innings of work. He’s been thrust into high-leverage situations and thrived in the process. Despite a high 1.20 WHIP, Rodriguez has been fantastic in San Diego and should remain in the ‘pen through 2031, unless he’s traded or regresses.
All of that is why it was surprising to see Rodriguez sent to the minors earlier last week. It seemed to be due to roster math rather than his performance, but the club insisted on giving the hard-throwing righty a breather amid his first full season in the big leagues. That all makes sense. That said, it’s great to have Rodriguez back with the club. San Diego placed reliever David Morgan on the 15-day IL with knee inflammation, making room for the rookie to return. He pitched decently against the Cubs in Game 1, going 2/3 of an inning and allowing one hit.
Helping or Hurting San Diego?
It’s unclear how these moves will affect the Padres. Wagner had a hot start with the club but tailed off recently. In his 16 games with the organization, he slashed .257/.422/.286. But, in his first 10 games, Wagner hit .318 with an .828 OPS. Cronenworth hasn’t replicated that in any 10-game stretch this season. If he can find a groove at the plate, it would help put some of the Padres’ offensive concerns to bed.
Morgan broke out in the San Diego bullpen in 2025. He authored a 2.66 ERA through 47 1/3 innings and was a major piece of the depth that the Padres’ ‘pen has become known for. He’s since regressed in ’26, posting a 4.50 ERA and an abnormally high 1.77 WHIP. It’s possible that Morgan’s IL stint is to give him a mental reset before returning to pitching. He’s been electric lately, pitching to a 2.06 ERA in his last seven outings.
That being said, Rodriguez has certainly proven himself to be more reliable this season than Morgan. Despite a ballooned 4.26 ERA in his most recent 6 1/3 innings of work, Rodriguez still owns an ERA below 3.00 on the season. That speaks to the consistency he’s been able to create on the mound. If he can continue that through the rest of the year, Rodriguez will prove himself a valuable anchor in the Padres’ elite relief corps.
Main Photo Credits: David Frerker-Imagn Images
