The San Diego Padres designated slugger Nelson Cruz for assignment on Tuesday in a series of moves.

The designated hitter, who is a seven-time All-Star and in his 19th major league season, is batting .245 with five home runs and 23 RBIs in 49 games.

In other moves, the Padres placed right-handed starter Michael Wacha (shoulder inflammation) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Sunday) and optioned right-hander Domingo Tapia to Triple-A El Paso.

 4 options for Padres at the Trade Deadline

Cruz had posted a .245/.283/.399 slash line in 49 games this season, serving as a DH and pinch-hitter, almost exclusively against left-handed pitching. Manager Bob Melvin cited the team’s need for further versatility as the reason behind the move.

“Obviously a tough one,” Melvin said. “He’s a big impact in the clubhouse. Across the board, throughout the league, the respect that he brings, playing against him from afar, it’s fantastic. He comes as advertised -- leadership, all of the above.

It’s not ideal. But at the very least, it makes the Padres’ path to a second-half turnaround abundantly clear. If that trio can mash like their track records indicate they’re capable of …

“It would mean good stuff for us,” said Padres manager Bob Melvin.

Cruz, 43, has long been one of the most feared sluggers in the league but has struggled over the past couple of years. In 2021, he was hitting .294/.370/.537 for the Twins with a 142 wRC+ when they flipped him to the Rays. That deal worked out very well for the Twins but Cruz slumped after switching jerseys, hitting just .226/.283/.442, 95 wRC+. He then signed with the Nats for 2022 but hit just .234/.313/.337 for a wRC+ of 85. As for Wacha, his shoulder has been an ongoing minor issue. His start on June 24 was skipped due to fatigue in that shoulder, though he did later take the ball on July 1 and toss five innings. Manager Bob Melvin tells AJ Cassavell of MLB.com that the club is trying to use next week’s All-Star break to give him a chance to fully heal up. He has a 2.84 ERA through 15 starts this year, so the team will surely be hoping that a little breather is all he needs to get back on track.

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Sarah H

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