Middlebrooks recorded a pair of base hits and scored a run in Monday's 4-3 loss to the Angels. Middlebrooks has produced exactly two hits in four of his last six starts, an encouraging sign after his rough opening to the season. The Padres' infield will be more crowded when Wil Myers (wrist) and Yonder Alonso (shoulder) return from the DL, but manager Bud Black could create regular at-bats for Middlebrooks by slotting him in at shortstop, where he played Saturday. If his defense is up to snuff, he'd likely give the Padres a higher-upside offensive option than the light-hitting Alexi Amarista.