For the second time since signing with the San Diego Padres, utility man Sung Mun Song is set to miss some time with an oblique injury. He was lifted from Thursday’s game after aggravating the injury that he’d originally sustained back in January. As Song continues to sit, it opens up a couple of questions around his status for Opening Day and what it could mean for the bench picture at large.
Song is projected to log heavy time all over the field for the Padres. A second and third baseman by trade, the Padres plan to move Song all over the field. He’ll get some time at the hot corner when Manny Machado serves as the designated hitter or flip over to the keystone when Jake Cronenworth needs a day or is shifting over to first base. The team is also exploring getting him some reps on the outfield grass, leaving a chance that he could play virtually every day for the Padres depending on off days and injuries (for what it’s worth, FanGraphs projects him to log time at five different positions in 2026).
The good news is that the injury itself doesn’t appear serious. While oblique injuries can linger, Opening Day is not yet in question, and Craig Stammen made an assertion that it’s less worrisome that it came as a result of work more broadly – with his removal on Thursday falling under “precautionary” – than having occurred on a specific swing. That speaks more to a soreness than an acute injury, which should help the team to navigate this over the next couple of weeks. There’s enough time before March 26 that Song could very well be back in action with additional reps before the regular season begins.
Nevertheless, it’s still important to consider what impact an injury to Song that lands him on the injured list to start the year could bear on a somewhat crowded bench picture over these next couple of weeks.
The wide assumption to this point is that the Friars’ bench was going to be comprised of Song, Luis Campusano as the No. 2 catcher, and whichever of Gavin Sheets, Nick Castellanos, or Miguel Andujar were not split starting between a corner outfield spot, first base, or designated hitter on a particular day. Which means that the Padres had, essentially, one spot with which to work. That could shift a bit if Song was to become IL-bound to start the year.
With only one spot remaining, the Padres would have to make a choice between a likely group of Bryce Johnson, Mason McCoy, Will Wagner, Ty France, and Jose Miranda. The former three are each on the 40-man roster. Johnson, however, is out of options while McCoy & Wagner each still have multiple to their name. Which means that the decision, if we’re sticking to this group of five, could come down to Johnson, France, and Miranda. Each brings something just a little bit different while offering a strong showing at the plate thus far in the spring exhibition season.
As of publishing, Johnson is hitting .320 with a .346 on-base percentage and a homer to his credit in spring training. As an outfielder on a team that lacks a clear fourth option on the grass, he might’ve been the favorite. At the same time, each of Miranda (.370/.452/.630) and France (.375/.444/.500) are off to torrid starts and have a bit of versatility in their respective toolboxes. If the Padres were comfortable with Sheets, Castellanos, or Andujar in an outfield corner for a spell while Ramón Laureano slides over to center when Jackson Merrill needs a day, then it’s possible that one of those bats could’ve earned a spot. A Song absence might allow them to keep the outfield steady with Johnson and retain one of the two non-roster invitees in Miranda and France. Or they could keep Miranda and France because of their bats and designated the out-of-options Johnson for assignment. Either way, they’d be afforded that flexibility in the wake of an extended absence for Song.
Ultimately, though, it’s not any kind of a given that the Padres would find themselves in such a scenario. Song’s oblique might be holding him out now, but we have no reason to think (at this point, at least) that it’ll hamper his chances of an Opening Day appearance. The roster squeeze will remain as it is, but the Padres do at least have contingencies should a longer-term absence manifest for their KBO convert.
Think you could write an article like this one? We’re looking for additional contributors, and we pay for all our content! Please click here, fill out the form, and someone will reply with more information.