Quentin nears return and Padres need his bat

SAN DIEGO -- Could the Padres, who ranked last in the Major Leagues in runs, get Carlos Quentin back by the end of this 10-game homestand?

San Diego manager Bud Black said Friday that Quentin -- on the disabled list since the end of March with a bone bruise to his left knee -- will begin a Minor League rehabilitation stint Saturday with Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore on the road against Inland Empire in San Bernardino.

Black wouldn't say how long the stint would be, though he indicated it would entail at least three or four games.

"It's going to be more than a couple of games," Black said. "We'll speak with Carlos daily to see how he's feeling. If he's feeling good, his timing is good, getting his game stamina, it could quicken his return."

The Padres need Quentin's bat, as the team went into Friday's game against the D-backs with 77 runs -- or 2.66 runs per game. The Astros rank 29th in the Majors but have scored 11 more runs than the Padres.

"More than likely, we have to fix it with the guys we have here," said Padres general manager Josh Byrnes.

If the Padres get Quentin back by the end of the homestand, they could also get third baseman Chase Headley (strained right calf) back when he's eligible to come off the disabled list May 9.