4 days ago
Padres' Gavin Sheets exits game after collision with outfield wall
SAN DIEGO — Gavin Sheets, the offensive surprise of the San Diego Padres' season, exited Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates after crashing facefirst into the left-field wall at Petco Park.
Sheets, the Padres' primary designated hitter, was playing left field during the top of the fourth when Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier drove a fly ball in his direction. Sheets turned, ran toward the wall and collided with it as the ball bounced off the top of the fence for a solo home run. As center fielder Jackson Merrill, manager Mike Shildt and two athletic trainers hurried to his side, Sheets remained on the ground for what would be multiple minutes. He eventually walked off the field under his own power. Outfielder Brandon Lockridge took Sheets' place in the field.
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Sheets, 29, has been an unexpectedly valuable contributor for the Padres. Non-tendered by the Chicago White Sox in November, he joined San Diego on a minor-league deal shortly before spring training. He broke camp with the team and has since hit .267 with 11 home runs and a club-leading 34 RBIs.
Sheets has spent the majority of his time at DH, but with veteran Jason Heyward on the injured list and the Padres severely lacking offense from the left-field spot, he recently joined the outfield rotation. Still, Sunday brought just his 15th career start in left, and his awkward fit at the position has been obvious. On May 18, in his first left-field start in several weeks, Sheets also collided with the Petco Park wall trying to make a play on a double.
If Sheets must miss time because of a concussion or another injury, the Padres do not have many healthy alternatives in left. Lockridge has a .512 OPS. Utility player Tyler Wade, who also has filled in in left, has a .621 OPS. In April, outfielder Tirso Ornelas collected one hit in 14 at-bats during his first big-league stint.
