CHICAGO (AP) — The San Diego Padres activated Jake Cronenworth from the injured list on Monday after the veteran infielder was sidelined by a concussion.
The Padres also placed right-hander David Morgan on the 15-day IL with left knee inflammation. Right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez was recalled from Double-A San Antonio, and infielder Will Wagner was optioned to Triple-A El Paso.
The 32-year-old Cronenworth went 0 for 3 in a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a three-game series. It was his first big league game since May 4.
“Great to have (Cronenworth) back,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said before the game. “We missed him definitely. A guy that’s been a part of our team for a while and someone that’s just Steady Eddie, professional at-bat all the time and then great second baseman.”
Cronenworth was grazed on his jaw by a 96-mph fastball from Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi on April 18. He went 4 for 31 over his next 12 games before going on the IL with delayed symptoms from the concussion.
He played in three rehab games with Triple-A El Paso, going 3 for 12 with a homer.
“Anytime you got a head injury and then you know you’re not able to see things the way you normally used to be able to see things, especially as a hitter at the plate, there’s probably times where he’s like, am I ever going to be able to be a major league hitter again?” Stammen said. “And just time heals a lot of things and luckily the time wasn’t too long, but it was long enough to where he could get back and feels pretty good about where he's at right now.”
The 22-year-old Rodriguez allowed a hit while recording the first two outs in the sixth in the loss to the Cubs. He is 1-2 with a 2.06 ERA in 32 games with San Diego this season. He was sent down on June 19 to help manage his workload during his rookie season.
“We gave him a week off,” Stammen said. “That’s pretty good, you know, overall in the scheme of things of a long season.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
San Diego Padres' Jake Cronenworth warms up during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
San Diego Padres' Jake Cronenworth warms up during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
San Diego Padres' Jake Cronenworth runs after hitting a sacrifice bunt during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
LONDON (AP) — Self-flying fighter jets, uncrewed submarines and drones will be at the center of Britain’s future military under a defense plan being announced Tuesday that reflects a world of conflicts transformed by technology.
The Defense Investment Plan has been repeatedly delayed as military leaders and Treasury officials wrangled over the cost of equipping the U.K. military for an increasingly dangerous world. Like other NATO countries, the U.K. is under pressure to increase defense spending to counter a more aggressive Russia and less reliable United States.
John Healey resigned as defense secretary on June 11, accusing the government of being unwilling to spend enough on the military at a time of “rising threats.”
Healey argued that U.K. defense spending must reach 3% of GDP by 2030, citing a British intelligence assessment that Russia could attack a NATO member country by then. He said that the plan put forward by the Treasury would see spending rise to just 2.68% in 2030, after hitting 2.6% next year.
The government says the spending plan has been “refocused” in the past few weeks under Healey’s successor, Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis. That includes a bit more money than the 13.5 billion pounds ($18 billion) Healey was offered, but likely far less than the 28 billion pounds ($37 billion) that defense officials called for.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the plan will ensure “our servicemen and women have the cutting-edge capabilities they need to deter evolving threats and keep the British people safe.” The full document is due to be published later Tuesday.
The plan is a road map for how the U.K. will increase military spending to NATO’s target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035. The U.K. military is seeking to reverse years of decline in the face of an increasingly assertive Russia, which invaded its neighbor Ukraine in 2022 and increasingly tests the defenses of European nations with overt and covert activity.
The U.K. has watched how drones have transformed war in Ukraine, which uses 200,000 of them a month to defend against Russian forces. Britain plans to invest billions in drone systems across all branches of the military. Instead of a planned fleet of new destroyers, the Royal Navy will get hybrid vessels that will act as command hubs for drones.
Britain and other NATO member nations have faced pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to increase military spending. Trump has long questioned the value of the military alliance and complained that the United States provides security to European countries that don’t pull their weight.
The resignations of Healey and junior Defense Minister Al Carns were among a series of blows that prompted Starmer to announce last week that he will resign. He is likely to attend a NATO summit in Turkey on July 7 and 8 in one of his last acts as prime minister.
His successor, likely the former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, will be under pressure to stick to the commitments in the defense plan.
Opposition Conservative Party defense spokesperson James Cartlidge said the plan was “too little, too late.”
“The plan is now almost a year overdue and only being rushed through because Keir Starmer is desperate for a legacy,” he said.
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomes NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, June 29, 2026.(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
Britain's Secretary of State for Defence Dan Jarvis arrives for a cabinet meeting hosted by Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street in London, Tuesday, June 23, 2026.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
