The Padres third baseman will be sidelined for a few weeks after an MRI confirmed the injury
San Diego Padres third baseman Chase Headley will be sidelined for 2-3 weeks with a calf injury, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock.
Headley underwent an MRI on Monday, which confirmed the team's original diagnosis of a strained right calf. Padres manager Bud Black said on Tuesday that Headley has a "Grade 1 strain" and will rest the injury for a few weeks during spring training.
As of now, there is no specific timetable for Headley's return, as the 29-year-old will simply respond to how the calf feels over the coming weeks and adjust his rehab accordingly. Assuming he has no significant setbacks, Headley should still have ample time to prepare and be ready for San Diego's Opening Night game against the Dodgers at Petco Park on March 30.
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Speaking about the injury on Tuesday, Headley stated, "The last day and a half has been a lot better than the first day and a half. I'm able to walk around pretty much normal now, which is a good sign. But it's feeling better than it did a couple days ago. It's definitely improved a ton."
Last season, Headley batted .250/.347/.400 for the Padres, slugging 13 home runs and driving in 50 runs. This came a year after Headley's career-best season in 2012 when he hit .286/.376/.498 with 31 home runs and 115 RBI, while finishing in fifth place in the NL MVP voting. For his career, Headley has batted .269/.350/.415, although the switch hitter has been a slightly better hitter from the right side throughout his seven big league seasons.
According to Black, Ryan Jackson, Alberto Gonzalez, Alexi Amarista, and Jace Peterson will spend time at third base during spring training with Headley out. Amarista appeared in 146 games for the Padres in 2013, hitting .236/.282/.337. Both Jackson and Gonzalez have limited big league experience.
Regardless, Headley should be ready for Opening Day assuming he suffers no setbacks and will be a key player for the Padres in their attempt to contend in the competitive NL West this season.