Bogaerts returns to Padres after paternity leave, with Bryce Johnson designated for assignment

Xander Bogaerts has returned to the San Diego Padres after being away from the club for the birth of his first child, a return that immediately changed the Padres’ roster picture. To make room for Bogaerts on the active mix, San Diego designated outfielder Bryce Johnson for assignment, a transaction move that typically indicates the team is clearing space and weighing its depth options across the outfield.

Bogaerts, a shortstop centerpiece for the Padres when available, had been away for roughly a week during a personal leave window. The team’s move underscores how quickly MLB clubs must adjust when a regular-season lineup spot is temporarily vacated, especially for infield positions that tend to carry everyday defensive expectations.

The DFA of Johnson closes a chapter that began with the Padres’ offseason signing of him as a free agent in 2023. According to the report, Johnson was released after the 2024 season, then later returned to the Padres’ organization via a new opportunity, including a stint that began with a Minor League role. Such paths are common for players trying to translate organizational depth into a longer look on an MLB roster.

Johnson’s timeline has also included a trade back to San Diego. The report states that after being signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates to start the 2025 season, Johnson was traded back to the Padres in April of last year. Since then, he has been used more sparingly, reflecting the reality that outfield roles often shrink or expand with matchups, health of regulars, and the emergence of other bench options.

This season’s usage appears to have left him searching for rhythm. The report says Johnson has been hitting.178/.229/.451 in 45 at-bats, a slash line that points to limited offensive traction. With Bogaerts back, the Padres no longer needed the extra roster slot that Johnson had occupied, so the team converted a depth decision into a roster move.

For the Padres, the immediate impact is positional stability. Bringing Bogaerts back to the shortstop spot restores a familiar defensive alignment and reduces the number of in-game adjustments the team may have had to make while he was away. For the wider club, it also sets up the next roster question: what San Diego chooses to do with the opening once the DFA process runs its course, whether that means recalling another player from the minors, promoting a bench option, or preserving flexibility for upcoming needs.

For Johnson, the DFA puts him through the practical next steps that DFA status creates, including the possibility of being claimed by another club or re-signed to a new opportunity depending on how the market plays out. The report does not specify the exact destination, only that the Padres have started the formal process to move him off the 26-man roster.