Padres recall Rodolfo Durán, place Miguel Andújar on injured list

The first thing to watch is whether Rodolfo Durán gets real catching work or just patches the roster while San Diego waits on Miguel Andújar’s wrist. The Padres recalled Durán from Triple-A El Paso and placed Andújar on the 10-day injured list with a right wrist fracture, a move that kept the big-league bench in motion as the club sorted out its lineup and catching depth.

Andújar’s injury came out of Sunday’s 19-2 road win over the Royals, when Lucas Erceg hit him with a pitch. He stayed in the game at the time, but later testing showed the fracture. The injury lands hard because Andújar, who has been used as a third baseman, left fielder and designated hitter, had been part of San Diego’s flexible lineup mix before the wrist issue forced a reset.

Durán’s path back to San Diego is tied to the catcher crunch behind the plate. Freddy Fermin had just returned from the injured list, leaving the Padres with less room to keep Durán on the roster after his brief big-league stint. That makes this recall more than a routine shuttle move from El Paso. If San Diego only needs a backup body, Durán could be sent back down quickly. If the club gives him innings and lineup opportunities, he has a chance to show he belongs beyond emergency cover.

Durán, born Feb. 19, 1998, in Santo Domingo, is a right-handed catcher listed by Baseball-Reference at 5-foot-8 and 181 pounds. He has already been in the Padres’ orbit as a depth option, and this recall gives him another shot to prove he is more than a short-term patch. For San Diego, the next stretch will show whether the roster chain built around Andújar’s injury opens a lasting lane for Durán, or just buys time until the lineup and catching depth settle again.