Chase Headley dealing with herniated disc
By Hayden Kane
Chase Headley has had a rough go of things over the last few seasons, and it doesn’t look like things are going to get any better.
Less than two seasons removed from being a top-10 MVP guy who was in line for a big payday, Headley has seen his production and his value plummet. Now comes news that he will be playing through a herniated disc for the remainder of the 2014 season. As reported by Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union Tribune:
Headley expecting to have to manage herniated disc the rest of the season. 6-8 weeks before he'll know if it will heal on its own.
— Jeff Sanders (@sdutSanders) June 24, 2014
The tough news for Headley, among other things, is that he and the Padres never gained any traction with contract extension talks. He was likely looking forward to a big payday in free agency, but given this news and his struggles this season, he probably wishes he could have a do-over and go back in time to take an extension.
Through 56 games this season, Headley is hitting a lowly .200/.283/.333 with six home runs and 23 RBI. That his power has been sapped is not surprising given this news about a herniated disc.
The bad news for the Padres is the fact that they likely will not be able to trade Headley between now and next month’s deadline. With certain teams needy in the infield, even a light-hitting version of Headley stood to be an improvement and therefore a useful trade piece. But with the prospect of surgery looming, that possibility can be all but ruled out.