Padres OF Ramón Laureano likely to miss remainder of 2026 season after undergoing hip surgery
San Diego Padres outfielder Ramón Laureano is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 MLB season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip.
Laureano, 31, was the Padres' primary left fielder this season, starting 42 games at the position. He also started seven games in right field. In 206 plate appearances, he compiled a slash average of .203/.286/.374 with seven home runs, six doubles, two triples, 21 RBI and seven stolen bases.
In May, Laureano had a .132/.244/.280 slash in 83 PAs.
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The nine-year veteran was initially placed on the 10-day injured list with what was diagnosed as right hip inflammation. According to Padres manager Craig Stammen, Laureano struggled with hip issues during the past five seasons and previously received an injection to alleviate the problem.
The belief was that a stint on the IL would allow him to recover, and he was expected to return after a short absence. An MRI exam revealed the tear and he will be sidelined four to five months.
"Some guys have come back from this surgery quicker," Stammen told reporters. "I think the typical timeline is that four- to five-month range."
"It's a big loss," he added. "He's a guy we were counting on a lot coming into the season, a guy that we had batting leadoff for a while. He's been in a little bit of a funk lately; maybe that's a reason for it."
Stammen explained that Laureano could have had surgery on his hip previously, but opted for an injection.
Bryce Johnson (.222, .580 OPS) is starting in left field for the Padres in Friday's matchup with the New York Mets. Gavin Sheets (10 homers, .806 OPS) is also expected to play at the position in Laureano's absence. The team designated Nick Castellanos (.191, .560 OPS) for assignment earlier in the week and called up outfielder Samad Taylor from Triple-A El Paso, where he was batting .319/.406/.500 with seven homers, 25 RBI and nine steals.
San Diego could explore a trade for a left fielder, preferably one who bats left-handed. The Padres have lost five consecutive games and nine of their past 10, plummeting down the standings to fall seven games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for third place in the NL West.
