The San Diego Padres have activated infielder Jake Cronenworth from the 7-day concussion injured list ahead of their series in Chicago. The move returns a key left-handed bat and defender to the roster during a critical stretch of the season. Cronenworth had been sidelined since early May.
The Padres reinstated Cronenworth prior to Monday night's series opener against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. He had been dealing with concussion symptoms that began after a hit-by-pitch on April 18, with delayed effects forcing him to the injured list on May 5.
Manager Craig Stammen welcomed the return, saying, "It's great to have Crony back. We missed him, definitely. A guy that's been a part of our team for a while, someone that's just steady, professional at-bat all the time, and then a great second baseman."
Cronenworth described the challenges of his recovery, noting vision issues that blurred his sight during at-bats. He completed a rehab stint with Triple-A El Paso, where he homered and doubled, before being cleared to return. The team plans to manage his workload with periodic rest days.