SAN DIEGO (AP) - Padres third baseman Chase Headley came off the 15-day disabled list Saturday against the Miami Marlins, hoping to boost San Diego’s struggling offense after rehabbing a right calf strain.
“My hope is that he can, as each day goes on, feel better physically,” San Diego manager Bud Black said. “I think he is headed in that direction. When he is healthy and feels good I think you are going to see the player that we know that Chase can provide.”
The switch-hitting Headley was placed on the DL on April 25. He was hitting .186 with two home runs and seven RBIs in 70 at-bats, one of four Padres regulars hitting below .200.
“Mechanically, in the cage, it felt great,” Headley said. “Hopefully I can get some consistent at-bats and stop the on-again, off-again thing. I’m pretty comfortable, especially from the left side.”
Headley batted .333 (4 for 12) with a double, two walks and two RBIs in four rehab games with Class-A Lake Elsinore.
Left fielder Carlos Quentin appears to be getting close to rejoining the club, possibly as soon as Tuesday when San Diego starts a six-game road trip in Cincinnati.
Quentin has yet to play this year after starting the season on the DL with a bone bruise in his left knee. Quentin has been on a minor league rehab assignment and played his second straight game Friday.
“It’s the second time I’ve done that in two months,” Quentin said. “It was the first time it was positive. So that was good. I feel a little bit of the aftereffects, but that is to be expected.”
Various knee injuries have limited Quentin to 168 games with the Padres over the past two seasons. The right-hander has 28 home runs and 90 RBIs in that span.
To make room for Headley, the Padres optioned right-handed pitcher Kevin Quackenbush to Triple-A El Paso.
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