The vibes are at an all-time high in San Diego as they officially punched their ticket to the postseason on Monday. The team is also welcoming back Xander Bogaerts to the lineup, as he returns from his month-long IL stint, battling a non-displaced fracture in his foot.
Bogaerts has struggled at the plate in 2025, but he found his rhythm in the three months leading up to his injury, as he was batting .277 with a 114 wRC+. Overall, he was a much more respected bat in what is a batting order filled with depth.
Xander Bogaerts’ return upgrades Padres defense at perfect time
Even when he was in bad slumps at the dish, Bogaerts was too valuable to keep out of the lineup because his defense was excellent.