Jake Cronenworth DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth (rib) is expected to return to action next weekend, potentially Friday against the Rockies. The left-handed hitter has been taking live at-bats at the team's spring training complex in Arizona and will likely complete a short rehab assignment this upcoming week, although no particular destination has been reported yet. The 31-year-old was hitting .257 with a pair of home runs and an 8:9 BB:K through 12 games (44 PA) before the injury. Hitting in the middle of the Padres' order, Cronenworth offers some solid potential fantasy contributions after a 17-homer, 83-RBI season in 2024, so managers looking for help could consider picking him up if he was dropped, and the 2x All-Star is eligible at both 2B and 1B on Yahoo!.

San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth (rib) has been cleared for all baseball activities and was sent to the team's spring training complex in Arizona for live at-bats, starting on Thursday, May 1. Cronenworth's non-displaced right-rib fracture won't fully heal for another few weeks, but he could return from the 10-day injured list before it does. The 31-year-old was placed on the IL back on April 11 for an injury that occurred when he was hit by a pitch in Chicago against the Cubs early in the season. If Cronenworth is required to go on a minor-league rehab assignment, which is likely, he probably won't be back with the big-league roster for another few weeks. When healthy, he'll return to regular duties at second base, which will push veteran Jose Iglesias back to a bench role. Cronenworth was hitting .257 (9-for-35) with two homers, five RBI and seven runs before going on the IL.

San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth (ribs) is progressing well in his recovery and is optimistic that he could return to action earlier than expected. The infielder was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 11 due to a rib fracture. His initial timeline suggested he would miss at least 4-to-6 weeks. However, the infielder has begun taking groundballs and dry swings, which could open the door for an earlier return. Fantasy managers should continue to keep an eye on his progression as he slowly increases his workload. Before the injury, Cronenworth held a .257/.409/.486 slash line with two doubles and two home runs across 12 contests. He drew walks at an elite 18.2 percent rate. While the 31-year-old remains out, Jose Iglesias should see most of the work at the keystone.