July 6, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres second baseman Luis Arraez (4) advances home to score a run on a hit by third baseman Manny Machado (not pictured) during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports Fans never would have known it watching Luis Arraez hit three around-the-park hits Saturday in the San Diego Padres’ 4-0 home win over the Atlanta Braves.
But the Padres first baseman is playing through a thumb injury that he said could keep him out of Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas.
However, Arraez said he plans to play Sunday when San Diego and Atlanta close out their weekend series and head into the break.
“I don’t need to take a day off,” Arraez said. “I don’t want to. I come here every day to play baseball.”
Saturday’s 3-for-4 snapped a 1-for-15 streak for Arraez, who had hit just .275 since June 25, when he injured his thumb after sliding into third base against the Washington Nationals. Arraez also played through a shoulder injury suffered June 2 against the Royals in Kansas City.
He wrapped a bandage around the injured thumb, which he said hurts with every swing and every ball he receives. However, Arraez confirmed that an imaging exam revealed no fracture.
Injuries have been a regular part of the Padres’ season, as have bags of pine tar and rosin.
They are currently playing without their top two starting pitchers (Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove) and All-Star right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. They have also been without second baseman Xander Bogaerts for nearly two months.
But they can still win a series before the All-Star break if they get a strong performance Sunday from right-hander Randy Vasquez (2-4, 4.66 ERA).
Vasquez last worked July 5, allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He got a no-decision in San Diego’s 10-8 victory after the Padres’ bullpen blew a 7-2 lead in the ninth inning.
The second-year pitcher is 0-2 with a 4.82 ERA in his career against the Braves.
Meanwhile, Atlanta will call on All-Star Chris Sale (12-3, 2.74 ERA) to the mound.
Sale last pitched Tuesday night, shutting down Arizona 6-2 at Phoenix as he struck out nine batters in 5 1/3 innings and threw 100 pitches. He is 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA in three starts against San Diego, including a 3-0 victory on May 20.
It’s Sale’s best season since 2018, when he went 12-4 and struck out 237 batters in 158 innings for the World Series-winning Boston Red Sox.
Sale has been injured often and ineffective at times in the four seasons since — he missed 2020 entirely — but he has looked like a bona fide No. 1 starter from the start this year.
“It’s fun to watch him compete,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Sale. “That’s just his thing and the whole shooting game.”
Sale won’t pitch in the All-Star Game because of his start Sunday, but he doesn’t mind. He’d rather push his team into the break on a positive note and maybe earn his MLB-high 13th win.
“I like to stay focused, keep my eyes on what’s important and take the ball when I need to,” Sale said.
Sale will travel to Texas for the Midsummer Classic with teammate and left-hander Max Fried, who was named to replace Ranger Suarez of the Philadelphia Phillies. Fried is 7-5 with a 3.08 ERA in 18 starts this season.
–Field level media
