Jake Cronenworth’s rehab homer gives Padres hope without solving the bigger question

The Padres finally got a solid Jake Cronenworth update. Not only did he begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso, he homered in his first rehab at-bat. He worked a nine-pitch at-bat, turned on one, and sent it 413 feet to right-center at 107.5 mph. He also doubled while playing seven innings at second base.

That is exactly the kind of first step the Padres wanted. But it’s not the whole answer. Craig Stammen laid out the situation when discussing Cronenworth’s rehab plan. The Padres are happy he’s been cleared. But being medically cleared doesn’t mean he’s ready to immediately play every day in the majors..

He compared it to spring training from a baseball standpoint, and Padres fans should be happy he’s looking at it this way. Instead of only being about health, it’s also about whether Cronenworth can look like a major-league hitter again quickly enough to help a Padres lineup that doesn’t have time to waste.

That first swing was an encouraging sign. But it doesn’t settle the issue.

Padres need Cronenworth’s version of stability, but they cannot rush into nostalgia

The Padres have absolutely missed parts of Cronenworth’s game. He’s a 32-year-old veteran who can give you professional at-bats from the left side of the plate. He can move around the infield and do a lot of the small things that don’t get noticed. The best version of him is when he’s reliable both as a defender and in the box.

The problem is his first 97 at-bats this season have been far from what the Padres thought they were getting this season. He was slashing .147/.272/.196 with one home run and four RBI before hitting the IL with a concussion. They want to be very careful that’s not the version they are getting when he returns. One way to be sure of that is to let him continue his reps in Triple-A.

This also gives the Padres some time to figure out what this means for second base. Fernando Tatis Jr.’s defensive flexibility has been big for the Padres offensive picture. They’ve been able to give Jase Bowen reps in the outfield and see what they have with Will Wagner at the keystone simply by moving Tatis around. 

Bringing Cronenworth back into the fold, would create a disruption on those players' development. Granted, Bowen has really struggled since his call-up, slashing .133/.188/.167 with four hits in 30 at-bats. It may just be a matter of time for him.

A healthy Cronenworth will help that conversation. But a productive Cronenworth changes it in the best way possible. 

Can he stack games and bounce back physically? Can he keep being productive on offense? Those are the big questions. The Padres should be encouraged, but not convinced after this weekend. 

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