WATCH: Padres star Xander Bogaerts exits game vs. Braves early after gruesome injury
Xander Bogaerts may be out of action for an extended period of time. The second baseman for the San Diego Padres left the game early due to what seemed to be a gruesome injury.
The former All-Star had to be examined on the field before being escorted away by trainers, although he was able to walk under his own power.
A ground ball was hit to the right side, and Bogaerts moved across to first to try to make the play. He dove to catch the ball and landed on his left arm. He rolled to a seated position and signaled for assistance since he was unable to throw the ball.
Ha-Seong Kim ran over to get the ball from him so the play could stop, but Bogaerts was in a lot of pain. It appeared to be an injury to his gloved wrist or left arm that occurred from the dive itself.
Ronald Acuna Jr. was safe at first when trainers came out to check on Bogaerts. The infielder was writhing around in clear pain for some time, clutching his left wrist and arm gingerly.
The replay seemed to indicate that his arm got caught on the dive, and it could be an injury to his shoulder. He grabbed both his wrist and shoulder at separate times before leaving the field.
Either way, it didn't look good and the Padres may be without their star infielder for a while. Bogaerts' former teammate with the Boston Red Sox, Trevor Story, had an injury on a diving attempt recently, and it ended up being a shoulder fracture that will cost him most of the season.
San Diego Padres will have to replace Xander Bogaerts
Xander Bogaerts had been struggling mightily at the plate, posting a well-below-average 72 wRC+. As fate would have it, he likely won't be able to round into form any time soon. There's no official diagnosis nor is there a timetable, but he will likely be out for a while.
That means the Padres will have to look for reinforcements and they just traded for a natural second baseman in Luis Arraez. Additionally, the majority of the Padres' roster is made up of players who at one point played shortstop, so anyone from Fernando Tatis Jr. to Jake Cronenworth could take some reps at second in the meantime.