Shortstop Xander Bogaerts is out for the regular season due to a foot fracture.

The San Diego Padres, fighting for the National League West crown, will be without shortstop Xander Bogaerts at a critical time, yet they remain optimistic about his return in 2025.

Bogaerts suffered an injury to his left foot after kicking a foul ball in Thursday’s matchup against the Mariners in Seattle and was officially added to the 10-day injured list today with a non-displaced fracture.

“He’s a tough guy,” said manager Mike Shildt. “Things could always be worse, but they could also be better.”

Shildt mentioned he doesn’t want to set a timeline for Bogaerts’ recovery, but he is encouraged by the medical staff’s belief that this injury won’t end his season. Of course, uncertainty remains as the Padres aim for a deep playoff run.

The regular season ends on September 28, and Bogaerts will turn 33 on October 1. This year, he started 120 games at shortstop and appeared as a designated hitter in 9 others. This marks his second consecutive season missing significant time due to fractures; last summer, he was sidelined for over seven weeks with a left shoulder fracture.

Veteran Jose Iglesias was given the start at shortstop today in the first game of the series against the Twins at Target Field in Minnesota. He is expected to receive most of the playing time at that position.

Infielder Mason McCoy was recalled from Triple-A El Paso to fill Bogaerts’ roster spot.

Bogaerts is in the third season of his 11-year, $280 million contract. He had a slow start this year, with an OPS of 0.615 as of June 17. However, since then, he has performed excellently, posting a slash line of .302/.360/.473 with 7 home runs over 60 games. In fact, his .302 batting average during that stretch ranked sixth in the National League.

“I recently mentioned that he’s swinging the bat very well, and his defense at shortstop has been outstanding,” said Shildt. “He’s a catalyst for the team.”