Unexpected shift at shortstop gives Padres added intrigue

On August 27, Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts sustained a fractured left foot during the series finale on the road against the Seattle Mariners, prompting a stint on the injured list for the 32-year-old.

The injury put manager Mike Shildt at a crossroads: he had plenty of options to replace Bogaerts for the short term, which included moving Fernando Tatis Jr. The now — right fielder actually came up through the minor leagues and played two years in the bigs as a shortstop, but moved to right field permanently in 2023 to avoid lingering shoulder subluxations. On top of that, Tatis has been elite defensively in the outfield, and it would be a mistake to fix something that was never broken.

Jake Cronenworth returns to shortstop for Padres for first time since 2021

Jose Iglesias has started nine times at the position since the injury to Bogaerts, but the offensive production was not there, as he was only batting .179 with an OPS below .500. We have also seen a bit of Mason McCoy action, as the 30-year-old has seen some time at short.

With options now becoming scarce, Mike Shildt took a gamble by starting a player who hasn’t seen time at the position in four years.

Jake Cronenworth made 41 appearances at shortstop in 2021, starting in 36 of them. He made the full-time move to first base when the team signed Bogaerts in 2022. Since then, he has spent the majority of his time at second base, with Luis Arraez and Ryan O’Hearn occupying the first base position.

But with the injury to Bogaerts, Shildt made the decision to start Cronenworth at short on Monday. He played five innings at the position, recording two assists on two chances. While this is the only time he has started, Cronenworth has seen time at the position when being moved from second base to short as part of some defensive adjustments.

In 2025, Cronenworth has played first, second, and shortstop; he also spent time on the IL with a fractured rib that he suffered back in April. But the 31-year-old has been a team player, moving to different parts of the diamond, and serving as a valuable asset until Bogaerts gets healthy. Cronenworth has quietly been one of the more versatile players on Mike Shildt’s talented squad.

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