The San Diego Padres may have lost to the New York Yankees, but the team appears to have avoided serious injuries to key players as they head into their weekend series in Colorado.
Starting pitcher Dylan Cease was having his best game of the season, taking a no-hitter into the 7th inning before experiencing discomfort in his forearm. The right-hander was seen flexing his hand, prompting a visit from the training staff.
"The training staff's not overly concerned," manager Mike Shildt revealed after the game. "Just a little bit of a cramp. He wanted to keep pitching."
Jackson Merrill, who recently returned from the injured list with impressive performances, including his 4th home run of the season, was hit by a fastball from Yankees reliever Devin Williams in the 10th inning.
"Got him in the forearm, you know, tough kid. Sure it doesn't feel great, but I don't feel like he's going to be compromised going forward," Shildt said.
The Padres are expecting more good news with Jake Cronenworth likely returning this weekend. Cronenworth has been sidelined since April 6th with a broken rib after being hit by the Cubs' Ben Brown. His successful rehabilitation stint in El Paso included a home run, signaling his readiness to rejoin the lineup in Colorado.
On the pitching front, Yu Darvish was scheduled to face live batters in Peoria today as the team continues to target a late May return for one of their top starters.
Despite a two-game losing streak, the overall health outlook for the Padres remains positive as they prepare for their series against the Rockies.
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