The Padres have placed starting shortstop Everth Cabrera on the 15-day disabled list with a sore right hamstring. Cabrera has played in 26 games for the Padres this year and he is 21 of 99 (.212 avg, .540 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 11 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. The Padres have recalled 25-year old switch hitting SS Lance Zawadzki from AAA to replace Cabrera on the active roster. He played in 6 games for the Padres earlier this year and he was 2 for 11 (.182 avg, .630 OPS) with 3 runs scored. 34-year old righty swinging Jerry Hairston will get most of the starts at SS for the Padres while Cabrera is out of action. He has played in 41 games for the Padres this year and he is 34 of 141 (.241 avg, .611 OPS) with 12 runs scored, 2 homers, 15 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Hairston should do a decent job for the Padres until Cabrera is ready to return to action.

The Padres are looking for another outfielder and there are a few good ones on the open market. If they are looking for a power bat Luke Scott of the Orioles or Cody Ross of the Marlins make sense. The Padres could likely get either one of them for Edwin Mujica and either Ryan Webb or Adam Russell. The Padres though might be looking for a leadoff type hitter instead of a banger. With that in mind guys like Scott Podsednik, David DeJesus and Rajai Davis likely move to the top of the list. I would think that Davis would only cost one of the three relievers mentioned earlier while the Royals would likely require two of the relievers for either Podsednik or DeJesus. If the Padres don’t want to aim that high they could probably pry Austin Kearns from the Indians or Ben Francisco from the Phillies for any one of those relievers. The Padres are so packed in the bullpen that they can afford to move Mujica, Webb or Russell as long as they fortify the lineup.

The Padres have placed 23-year old righty swinging LF Kyle Blanks on the 15-day disabled list with a right elbow strain. Blanks has played in 33 games this season for the Padres and he is 16 of 102 (.157 avg, .607 OPS) with 14 runs scored, 3 homers, 15 RBIs and a stunning 46 whiffs. The Padres have recalled 27-year old righty reliever Adam Russell to take Blanks’ spot on the roster. Russell pitched in 3 games (0 starts) earlier this season for the Padres and he was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.23 WHIP. He hasn’t given up any hits while whiffing 5 batters in 4 1/3 innings as he has been really solid this year for the Padres.

The Padres are in first place in the N.L. West with a 24-16 record which has them 1.5 games ahead of the Giants. One of the main reasons for the Padres being in first place is the play of 28-year old lefty swinging 1B Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez has played in 40 games for the Padres this year and he is 37 of 139 (.266 avg, .880 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 9 homers, 25 RBIs and 28 walks. This is Gonzalez’ fifth year with the Padres in which he has played in 679 games and he is 717 of 2,523 (.284 avg, .884 OPS) with 395 runs scored, 139 homers and 425 RBIs. Rumors were flying all winter long that Gonzalez was on the trading block but the Padres kept him and they might be the team looking for some extra help at the deadline if they keep playing well.

The Padres have placed 30-year old righty swinging outfielder Scott Hairston on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain. Hairston has played in 32 games for the Padres this season and he is 20 of 81 (.247 avg, .851 OPS) with 14 runs scored, 6 homers, 14 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. The Padres have recalled 29-year old righty swinging outfielder Chris Denorfia to replace Hairston on the active roster. Denorfia has played in 2 games for the Padres already and he is 3 of 6 (.500 avg, 1.000 OPS) with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI. He has also played in 34 games in AAA-ball this season and he is 37 of 121 (.306 avg, .873 OPS) with 17 runs scored, 2 homers, 12 RBIs and 7 stolen bases.