Padres’ Jake Cronenworth skips expected rehab assignment, but there’s no need to panic

San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth is still trying to work his way back to full health, but he appears to be getting closer to a return to the big leagues. This is despite the fact that he skipped Thursday’s rehab assignment game with the El Paso Chihuahuas against the Sugar Land Skeeters.

However, his absence from the game does not seem to be something the Padres should be alarmed about.

It was more due to a technicality regarding the process for handling a player in the concussion protocol.

“Jake Cronenworth did not end up playing today. There was no setback. Because he’s on the concussion IL, there is an approval process that was expected to be finalized before the game. It did not happen in time. Hope is Cronenworth gets in tomorrow’s game with El Paso Chihuahuas,” Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune shared in a social media post on X, formerly Twitter.

Cronenworth, who signed a seven-year, $80 million contract with San Diego in 2023, has not seen action in the majors since May 5. He absorbed a Yusei Kikuchi fastball to the jaw in a game on April 18 against the Los Angeles Angels. He was able to stay in the game and appear in 12 more games before getting placed by the Padres on the injured list.

As for his performance this year, it has been rough.

The 32-year-old Cronenworth is batting just .144/.272/.196 with a home run and four RBIs to go with 14 walks and 23 strikeouts across 114 plate appearances and 32 games.

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