SAN FRANCISCO -- A day after his hard collision with the left-field wall at Petco Park, Padres slugger Gavin Sheets was with the team in San Francisco and said he expects to avoid a stint on the IL.
He later pinch-hit in the eighth inning of Monday night’s 1-0 series-opening win at Oracle Park, and manager Mike Shildt noted that he could return to the starting lineup as soon as Tuesday.
Sheets traveled with the team on Sunday night after exiting the Padres’ 6-4 win over the Pirates when he collided violently with the wall chasing Adam Frazier’s fourth-inning home run. A day later, he said he was still dealing with some soreness, mainly in his hip, but he noted that he passed all concussion tests.
“All things considered, felt pretty good today,” Sheets said. “Woke up, head felt good. Last night, I was obviously sore, mainly in the hip. But I woke up today, and all things considered for the play, I felt pretty good.”
Sheets was attempting to make a play on Frazier’s homer when he collided with the padded fence. He spent several minutes on the ground on the warning track while he was evaluated by team trainers, before leaving the field under his own power.
After the game, Sheets was evaluated by the team’s medical staff for a trio of injuries -- hip soreness, a jammed wrist/thumb and a head bruise. He also went through standard concussion protocol.
“All the testing was good,” Sheets said. “Really happy about that. No headaches, sleep went well. … All things considered, pretty fortunate.”
Sheets’ emergence has been one of the biggest bright spots of the Padres’ season. After Sheets was released by the White Sox, San Diego signed him to a Minor League deal just before Spring Training began.
Sheets made the club and has mashed since Opening Day, entering Monday with an .817 OPS and 11 homers, behind only Fernando Tatis Jr. (13) for the team lead.
Sheets has spent most of the season at first base and DH, but he recently moved to left field with the Padres in need of offense there. He’s not a natural left fielder, and perhaps Sunday’s play was further evidence of that. Still, despite the injury, Sheets said he expects to continue playing left, if asked.
“I’d expect to be,” Sheets said. “I’ll do whatever -- whatever they want me to do. Whatever gets me in the lineup, whatever they need me to do, I’ll do.”
Utilityman Tyler Wade started in left field on Monday night, with Sheets out of the lineup. Meanwhile, Manny Machado got the day at DH, with Jose Iglesias filling in at third.
As for the collision itself?
“It felt like running into a wall,” said Sheets, who stands a hulking 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, and collided with the fence at what he estimated was close to full speed.
Quipped Shildt: “I think the fence is OK.”