Yonder Alonso First Padres’ Regular to Return from DL

The first of the many injured Padres’ starters is returning from the disabled list. First baseman Yonder Alonso returned to the roster today, and will start at first base tonight.

Jake Goebbert has been optioned to Triple-A El Paso to make room for Alonso.

Alonso has been on the DL since June 17 with tendinitis in his right wrist. He has rehabbed for seven games in the rookie league and in El Paso, and has compiled a .280 average in those games, going 7-for-25 with a home run and 5 RBI.

Prior to his injury, Alonso was one of the many Padres regulars having a subpar season. Through 70 games, he hit .210 with 5 homers and 22 RBI. He was terrible for the first five or six weeks of the season, and reached his nadir in early May when his average dipped to .157. He had been starting to find his stroke in the last month before the injury, hitting .263 since May 9, with all five of his home runs and 17 of his 22 RBI coming since that date.

Jake Goebbert hit .250 with one home run and 3 RBI in 48 ABs in his first stint in the majors. Goebbert was acquired by San Diego in the Kyle Blanks trade.

Alonso is the first of several Padres regulars due back from the DL soon. Manager Bud Black said before Friday’s game that Jedd Gyorko may also be joining the team in Atlanta, where the team is currently playing a 4-game series. Everth Cabrera is likely only a few days behind Gyorko, and will likely be reinstated next week.

The Padres have actually been hitting better without their regulars, many of whom are having career-worst seasons. It will be difficult to see players like Tommy Medica and Alexi Amarista, who have been hitting well in place of the starters, lose playing time, especially if the regulars don’t perform well right away.