CHICAGO -- Nearly two months after concussion symptoms derailed his season, Jake Cronenworth is back.
The Padres reinstated the veteran infielder from the 7-day concussion injured list prior to Monday night's series opener against the Cubs, returning a key left-handed bat and one of the club's steadiest defenders during a critical stretch of the season.
"It's great to have Crony back," manager Craig Stammen said. "We missed him, definitely. A guy that's been a part of our team for a while, someone that's just steady, professional at-bat all the time, and then a great second baseman. He's just a value add when we get him back."
Cronenworth has been sidelined since May 5 after experiencing the delayed onset of concussion symptoms from a hit-by-pitch on April 18. Although he initially cleared concussion protocols and continued playing, he later began experiencing lingering vision issues that ultimately forced him to the injured list.
Now healthy again after weeks of rehab and vision therapy, the two-time All-Star admitted there were points during his recovery when he wasn't sure he'd make it back.
"It was tough," Cronenworth said. "There were days where I had good days. I also had some really, really bad days consecutively where I felt like I was never getting better. I'd get a glimmer of hope every once in a while and just kept fighting through."
The most concerning issue wasn't headaches or dizziness. It was his eyesight.
Cronenworth said his vision would blur whenever his heart rate increased, while his eyes struggled to track pitches and focus properly.
"There were at-bats where I couldn't make the pitcher clear," Cronenworth said. "I'd step out and be blinking trying to get him clear, and it just would never happen."
The symptoms also explained the worst offensive stretch of his career.
Cronenworth hit just .144 with a .468 OPS before landing on the injured list, including a 4-for-31 stretch after being hit by the pitch that caused the concussion.
"I was going home confused every night looking at my at-bats and wondering why I'm swinging at certain pitches," Cronenworth said. "I felt like my swing was in a really good place. It just didn't feel right."
Stammen acknowledged the mental toll of such an unusual injury.
"Anytime you've got a head injury and you're not able to see things the way you're normally used to -- especially as a hitter at the plate -- there were probably times where he's like, 'Am I ever going to be able to be a Major League hitter again?'" Stammen said. "Luckily, time heals a lot of things. It wasn't too long, but it was long enough where he could get back and feels pretty good about where he's at right now."
Cronenworth homered and doubled during a three-game rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso before the Padres determined he was ready to return.
The Padres won't push him immediately through a stretch where they play every day until the All-Star break, with Stammen saying Cronenworth will receive periodic days off after a short rehab stint.
Still, his return comes at an important time for a Padres club looking to spark an offense that has struggled for much of the season.
"We've missed him," Stammen said. "He's a professional at-bat, works the pitcher, has the opportunity for some slug, plays great defense. He just does all the little things on the field that you kind of miss."