Wil Myers Returns to DL after Three Games

By Peyton Wesner

While working his way through the minors, then Kansas City Royals' prospect Wil Myers jumped onto everyone's radar with an outstanding 2012 season in which he crushed thirty-seven homeruns, collected one hundred and nine RBIs, and batted .314 between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha. The following season, he continued to showcase his talent by dominating International League (Triple-A) pitching as a part of the Rays' organization. His performance ultimately led to a promotion to the Major Leagues where he would not squander his opportunity. With his chance, Myers hit .293 with thirteen home runs and fifty-three RBIs in eighty-eight games, which was good enough to claim 2013 American League Rookie of the Year honors. 

Duly noted was the fact that Myers was on the road to stardom, but wrist injuries the past two season have derailed those plans temporarily, if not permanently. Last year it was a stress fracture to his right wrist that held the former third round pick to eighty-seven games (.222 BA, 6 HR, & 35 RBIs) and this season it has been left wrist tendonitis. 

Myers was off to the best start of his career prior to his first stint on the DL as he had five home runs and nineteen RBIs with a .291 average in thirty-one games played while starting to look like the player he was in 2013. When he was back in the lineup a month and a day later, he was not the same and went two for fourteen in three games. But a fourth would not occur as the Padres put their young contributor back on the DL with the same injury.

Currently, San Diego has no timetable for Myers' return, but he has personally said that he wants to avoid surgery to remove the bone spur in his left wrist until the off-season, so he will not miss an extended amount of time during the reason season. Yonder Alonso will replace Myers at first base and if he in addition to Melvin Upton Jr. continue to perform well, the former Tampa Bay Ray may not find his spot at first base or the outfield vacant when he becomes healthy again.