The Padres, in the midst of a skid, have been dealt a big blow to their outfield.
Manager Craig Stammen revealed Friday that Ramon Laureano could be sidelined for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery for a torn labrum in his right hip.
Laureano’s hip has caused him problems in the past five seasons, but he has usually been able to play through it.
During the Padres’ series in Washington last weekend, Laureano informed the team that his condition had worsened, and he opted for surgery on Friday.
Laureano’s performance at the plate has seemingly been impacted by his hip.
In mid-April, he was batting .292 with a .921 OPS. When placed on the injured list on Tuesday, his numbers had dipped significantly to a .203 average with a .660 OPS.
Should San Diego make a deep playoff run, it’s possible we haven’t seen the last of Laureano this season.
Stammen stated that the typical timeline for return is “that four-to-five month range.”
For the Padres to really make an impact this year, it is critical that their superstars make up for Laureano’s absence. Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. have all underperformed thus far this season, though they’ve looked better lately.
Entering Friday, the Padres have scored the fewest runs in the major leagues.
They’ve lost nine of their last 10 entering the weekend series with the Mets, and their loss in Philadelphia on Thursday took them out of the playoff picture for the first time since April.
