A rookie pitcher was quietly becoming a major element of the San Diego Padres’ rotation this year. He had been delivering solid performances and was reliable, providing the Padres with badly needed depth in their playoff push. The organization had relied on him as part of their pitching staff, with him anchoring the rotation toward the end of the season. But then everything changed at once on Tuesday night.

The 103-mph line drive off the bat of Jacob Young struck the rookie’s pitching elbow during the fourth inning against Washington, ending his night. The 25-year-old bent over and managed to stay on the mound, holding his arm, as trainers came onto the field and teammates scurried to his assistance.

The injured pitcher is the right-hander Ryan Bergert. When asked about his injury, he didn’t mince a word and said, “Felt pretty typical. You know what you expect from a line drive coming back at you? Obviously, you know, sucks happened so early, had to burn a lot of bullpen.” His straightforwardness is refreshing in a world where athletes often feel pressured to downplay their struggles. But the twist of the story came later.

When pressed about his next start, Bergert showed less certainty: “I mean, it might be a little early, too early to say. But you know, I’m feeling hopeful.” On a bright note, he assured fans that he was feeling relatively good at the moment. He underwent X-rays on his pitching arm, which came back negative, bringing a sigh of relief to the organization. However, he did have a bit of soreness. Most of the discomfort was in his forearm—he emphasized that it was mainly the forearm. As for his ribs, he didn’t notice any pain there, despite what others had mentioned to him; the issue was really just in the forearm.

Bergert was added to the Padres’ injured list on Wednesday with a forearm contusion, and no date has been set for his return. The Padres’ bullpen rose to the occasion Tuesday night after Bergert was pulled early due to his injury. However, following his removal, the bullpen blanked Washington over the next 6 innings to complete a 4-3 comeback win.

The Padres recalled right-handed Sean Reynolds out of Triple-A El Paso to offer depth in response to the injury of Bergert. Reynolds, who arrived in the trade with Miami for Ryan Weathers, has become a top-30 prospect and now provides the team with roster flexibility during Bergert’s absence.

Padres rookie’s injury adds to rotation concerns

Bergert’s injury highlighted the Padres’ ongoing issues with pitching depth as the trade deadline of July 31 approaches. The team has already put RHP Michael King on the 15-day IL because of the inflammation in the right shoulder, which is another strain on their rotation. The lack of depth was evident early in the season, as only four players (Henry Baez, Bergert, Omar Cruz, and Jhony Brito, none with major league starts except Brito) with starter experience were on the 40-man roster.

Currently, the rotation locks were King (the Opening Day starter), Dylan Cease, and Nick Pivetta, but injuries are sorely testing San Diego’s organizational depth. The Padres started the season hot, and with the playoffs in mind, they plan to be active at the trade deadline. The apparent priority has been in filling starting pitching holes.

GM A.J. Preller has never shied away from making moves, and with King’s return uncertain and Bergert’s status now in question, those talks could pick up even more steam. There are few established internal replacements outside of the top three starters, so it is more likely San Diego will seek outside help to strengthen its championship window.