Padres just revealed promising Xander Bogaerts news for final week of 2025 season

The San Diego Padres couldn’t have timed it any better. Fresh off clinching their fourth postseason appearance in the last six years, the club got word that one of their key veterans is ready to return. For a team that has battled inconsistency in stretches and leaned heavily on its midseason reinforcements to keep the offense afloat, getting Xander Bogaerts back at this stage feels like the final piece of the puzzle sliding into place.

The timing of Bogaerts’ return also carries symbolic weight. The 2025 Padres have been defined by resilience, from weathering a rash of injuries to going toe-to-toe with pesky division rivals that have refused to go away in the NL West chase. Now, with the postseason looming, San Diego can look at a lineup card and see the veteran shortstop’s name right where it belongs.

Xander Bogaerts return gives Padres lineup final piece for October

Bogaerts has been sidelined since August 27, when he fouled a ball off his left foot during a game against the Seattle Mariners. The non-displaced fracture forced him to the injured list two days later, leaving the Padres to patch the infield with Jose Iglesias and Mason McCoy. Both filled in admirably, but the absence of the four-time All-Star was always felt. Now, the Padres have set their sights on Tuesday, September 23, the second of their three-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers, as the likely date for his return.

“Xander Bogaerts did an extensive workout today,” Shildt told reporters via Annie Heilbrunn of the San Diego Sports Association. “They’ll see how he recovers, and if all goes well he will be in the lineup tomorrow.” For a player who has quietly put together a solid, but not spectacular, bounce-back campaign, that’s an encouraging sign. Through 131 games, Bogaerts is slashing .262/.330/.387 with 10 home runs, 49 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, and a 2.0 WAR — numbers that may not mirror his peak production in Boston but are a step forward from his injury-limited 2024 season.

While some may point to the price tag of his 11-year, $280 million contract, Bogaerts’ impact on the Padres extends beyond the stat sheet. His steady glove at shortstop and contact-first approach at the plate have been essential pieces of a San Diego team built on balance. With Bogaerts now back in the fold alongside trade-deadline additions Ramon Laureano, Ryan O’Hearn, and Freddy Fermin, the Padres enter October with a lineup that finally looks complete — one that lacks glaring weaknesses and can match up with anyone in the National League.

For Padres fans, this update is more than just an injury note — it’s reassurance that the team will head into October at full strength. Bogaerts may not carry the gaudy numbers of his Boston days, but his presence brings credibility and stability to a roster with championship aspirations. San Diego has been chasing a formula that can finally deliver the franchise’s first World Series, and getting their shortstop healthy for the stretch run may be the ingredient that tips the scales in their favor.

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