Xander Bogaerts is cleared to resume baseball activities for the Padres after a foot fracture, with a season-end return now realistic. His presence should stabilize a lineup that’s leaned on Iglesias, whose .223/.283/.563 line in limited at-bats has masked the offense. Bogaerts’ .262 average, 10 homers and a 0.717 OPS this year still carry value in a deep San Diego lineup as the club chases a deep postseason run.

As Bogaerts returns, San Diego’s middle of the order could regain its bite and push the Padres further in the NL Wild Card race, just 2.5 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. Iglesias provides veteran defense and contact while Bogaerts works his timing back, giving fantasy managers a clearer path to upside in the final stretch.

Padres lose Bogaerts for the rest of the season due to a broken foot, creating a late‑season shortstop vacancy. Iglesias or Cronenworth would likely step in, while moving Jackson Merrill or Fernando Tatis Jr. to short would be a high‑risk experiment with defensive concerns. The plan to shift Merrill is explicitly denied by the Padres, per Nightengale. In the meantime, San Diego may lean on a mix of Iglesias, Cronenworth, and outfield alternatives like Laureano, Sheets, and O’Hearn to cover Bogaerts’ absence while pursuing a World Series push against Minnesota.

Manny Machado’s 1,000th hit as a Padre sparks a dramatic rally as San Diego erupts for 12 runs in four innings to throttle Minnesota, capped by a go-ahead seventh. The power surge comes from Elias Diaz’s two homers, plus key early runs that turn a tight contest into a laugher. O’Hearn and Laureano add timely hits, while Cronenworth’s wall-bounce clears the way for two more. Pivetta works five innings as the Padres take the series and push fantasy angles for multiple hitters.