Cameron Maybin Out 2-3 Months, What Now?

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Cameron Maybin is out with a ruptured biceps tendon.

On Saturday, Maybin crushed his first home run of the Spring.  On Sunday, he robbed Juan Uribe of an extra-base hit with a fine diving catch.  It was on that catch that Maybin ruptured the tendon.

He will miss 2-3 months.

What does this mean to the Padres?  It likely means the following:

Maybin will miss 30-60 games at the start of the regular season.

Will Venable will start the season as the Center Fielder.  Venable played there for 80 games last year when Maybin missed 148 games with a wrist injury and a torn PCL. Venable showed himself to be an decent Center Fielder.  But he’s spent the vast majority of his career as a platoon player, hitting primarily against right-handed pitching.  While he improved significantly against lefties last year, it is a small sample size of success.

If Venable struggles against lefties, do the Padres have another option?  Perhaps.  Last year, Reymond Fuentes got a cup of coffee with the team in a September call-up. Fuentes is a natural Center Fielder with great speed, and impressed at AA-AAA last year.  And while Venable and Fuentes are both lefties, Fuentes hit lefties well last year.  He hit everybody well last year in the minors.  The team may take an extra look at him this Spring in Maybin’s absence.

Chris Denorfia and Seth Smith will platoon in Right Field, with Deno playing against lefties and Smith against righties.

Alexi Amarista, whom the team had planned to use solely in the infield, could see time in the outfield, especially if Carlos Quentin loses time to injury.

Kyle Blanks may see additional time in Left or Right Field.

The lineup loses some speed. When Maybin is healthy, he is good for 30-40 stolen bases.  Although it’s getting harder to remember a time when he was healthy.

The team will again spend millions of dollars to have Maybin in the training room. This year, he’ll earn $5 million, in the third year of his 5-year, $25 million contract.

So, that’s Chase Headley (out 2-4 weeks), Cameron Maybin (2-3 months), and Cory Luebke (whole season).  The Padres have led the majors in games lost to injury each of the last two years, with almost 1200 per year.  This year’s projection is up to almost 200 already.