Padres' Xander Bogaerts Taking Temporary Leave for Personal Reasons
Xander Bogaerts and the San Diego Padres picked up a win on Monday, defeating the Cincinnati Reds 6-2. They advanced to 34-31 and are just 3-7 in their last 10 games. A divisional title continues to slip away, as San Diego sits 7.5 games behind the National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, Monday's win was a nice change of pace for an offense that has been struggling. Through 65 games, they rank 30th in runs scored (247), hits (452), batting average (.215) and OPS (.646). Unfortunately for them, though, a key piece of their lineup is set to miss some time.
With the chance to win their series against the Reds on Tuesday, the Padres announced a roster change. Bogaerts is being placed on the paternity list and will be replaced by infielder Will Wagner.
"We have placed INF Xander Bogaerts on the Paternity List and recalled INF Will Wagner from Triple-A El Paso," the team wrote via an X post.
It was created for players to be with their families after the birth of a child. According to Baseball Reference, players can remain on the paternity list for one to three days.
We have placed INF Xander Bogaerts on the Paternity List and recalled INF Will Wagner from Triple-A El Paso.
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 9, 2026
So far this season, the four-time All-Star has struggled. He has appeared in 63 games, accumulating 225 at-bats, 27 runs scored, 52 hits, eight home runs, 27 RBIs and nine stolen bases. He is also slashing .231/.303/.356 with a .659 OPS.
While on an 11-year, $280 million contract that runs through the 2033 season, it's far from the production that the Padres are expecting out of Bogaerts. However, he's played in 63 of San Diego's 65 games this year, so a few days away from the team may help him reset both physically and mentally.
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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 10:40 AM.