Padres get encouraging message from returning former All-Star
The San Diego Padres got a reassuring message from their former All-Star as he returns to the lineup against the San Francisco Giants.
San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez gave fans a scare in his last game. The former All-Star collided with Mauricio Dubon at first base and missed the next six games with a concussion. Mike Shildt welcomes him back to the lineup against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night, to the enjoyment of Padres fans.
Arraez’s message to fans ahead of his return was simple, according to San Diego Tribune writer Jeff Sanders.
“Hello everybody,” Arraez said. “I’m back.”
The Padres first baseman’s return to the lineup gives the team a boost from the injured list. According to him, though, he’s just happy to be back on the field at all.
“You can see my face already,” Arraez said when asked how he feels about coming back. “Excited. Excited to be here and play baseball. It’s what I love.”
The three-time batting champ is a key piece of a Padres offense that is humming to start the year. San Diego hopes that Arraez’s return opens the floodgates of the Padres’ injured list.
San Diego is dealing with injuries to a quarter of their team. That hasn’t stopped them from being one of the top teams in the National League. In a division that features the star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants, the Padres are right in the mix.
Shildt is leading his team extremely well through the early part of the season. When his lineup returns to full health, the Padres believe they have a great chance of a deep playoff run. After losing to the Dodgers in last year’s National League Divisional Series, San Diego has a chip on their shoulder.
Getting Arraez back is a boost offensively for one of the league’s best teams. The San Diego Padres are hoping that they can continue riding their momentum in one of the franchise’s best seasons ever.
