Padres catcher Tim Federowicz has a torn meniscus in his knee that may require surgery. The tear was revealed when the backstop had an MRI on his knee on Monday afternoon. The news was first reported by Corey Brock of Padres.com, via Twitter.
Federowicz, 27, was expected to be the Padres backup catcher this season. He was acquired in the Matt Kemp deal earlier in the off-season. Currently, there is no timetable for his return.
If Federowicz is unable to start the season, the Padres will probably turn to veteran Wil Nieves. Nieves is in camp on a minor league deal. San Diego does not have any other catchers on the 40-man roster, aside from starter Derek Norris and Federowicz.
Rocky Gale could also be a name to watch for San Diego. Gale, 27, was the Padres 24th round pick in the 2010 draft. He is considered to be an excellent receiver and someone that the organization trusts in the development of young pitchers. He even hit .302 in Triple-A last season.
If the Padres are not comfortable with their internal options, the team can scour the waiver wire at the end of spring training. It all depends on the severity of the tear in Federowicz’s knee.
Padres' fans received a scare this afternoon when Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union Tribune reported that Andrew Cashner left his start after three innings and met with trainers and Padres manager Bud Black. It seemed that Cashner could have an arm injury.
Lin reported that all is well with Cashner’s arm and that he is dealing with a “personal issue.” It is unknown at this time if Cashner will miss any time in camp.