Xander Bogaerts Returns to San Diego Padres' Starting Lineup After Injury Scare

San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts left Game 2 of the NLDS with hamstring cramps, but he is back in the lineup for Game 3 against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

Oct 6, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) reacts after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game two of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Xander Bogaerts will start at shortstop and bat sixth for the San Diego Padres in Game 3 of the NLDS on Tuesday night, the team has announced.

Bogaerts was dealing with hamstring cramps on Sunday, knocking him out of Game 2 in the eighth inning. He seemingly suffered the injury on a foul ball in the top of the frame, just before he blasted a solo home run off right-hander Michael Grove.

Following the Padres' 10-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers that night, Bogaerts appeared to be in good enough spirits regarding his ailment.

"Running the bases was great," Bogaerts said to reporters. "Didn't have to put pressure on it, hitting another ground ball to second."

Xander Bogaerts was dealing with hamstring cramps. Said he thinks he'll be fine. He did stay in the game temporarily -- and homered.

"Running the bases was great," Bogaerts said. "Didn't have to put pressure on it, hitting another ground ball to second."

— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) October 7, 2024

Bogaerts is 3-for-8 with three RBI so far in the NLDS. He went 0-for-7 in the Padres' sweep over the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card Series.

The 32-year-old Bogaerts is fresh off his worst regular season since his rookie year with the Boston Red Sox in 2014. He hit .264 with 11 home runs, 44 RBI, 13 stolen bases, a .688 OPS and a 1.2 WAR across 111 games.

Bogaerts started 2024 as the Padres' second baseman, but he moved back to shortstop shortly after Ha-Seong Kim suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in August. Bogaerts missed over seven weeks with a shoulder injury of his own earlier in the year.

For all of his recent struggles, Bogaerts does have two World Series rings to his name. He was a .299 hitter with an .835 OPS between 2015 and 2022, making four All-Star appearances and winning five Silver Sluggers before the Padres pried him away from the Red Sox with a 11-year, $280 million contract.

Bogaerts' postseason experience could prove critical to San Diego, who is tied 1-1 with Los Angeles in a heated best-of-five series.

Here is the full starting lineup the Padres will be rolling out against the Dodgers on Tuesday night:

1. Luis Arraez, 1B
2. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
3. Jurickson Profar, LF
4. Manny Machado, 3B
5. Jackson Merrill, CF
6. Xander Bogaerts, SS
7. David Peralta, DH
8. Jake Cronenworth, 2B
9. Kyle Higashioka, C
SP: Michael King, RHP

First pitch from Petco Park is scheduled for 9:08 p.m. ET.

Play our game. pic.twitter.com/NRaYiMJHC7

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 8, 2024

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