Away from the team since Wednesday while tending to a family matter he said he preferred to keep private, Yangervis Solarte rejoined the Padres on Monday in good spirits and found himself hitting fourth and playing third base. To make room for him, 22-year-old rookie Jose Rondon was optioned back to Double-A San Antonio.
Ranked the seventh-best prospect in the organization, Rondon was 1-for-9 with three strikeouts and a dazzling double play turned during his three-game stay. He started two of those games in place of 34-year-old shortstop Alexei Ramirez, who remained out of the lineup again Monday.