It’s not easy following in the footsteps of a Major League father who is a Hall of Famer. Tony Gwynn Jr. has discovered that first-hand.
The 29-year-old outfielder, who is the son of San Diego Padres legend Tony Gwynn (who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. in 2007), was outrighted to Triple -A Albuquerque on Wednesday after being designated for assignment earlier in the week.
Gwynn has a .232 average with no home runs, 17 RBI, a .276 on-base percentage and a .570 OPS in 259 at-bats for the Dodgers this season. He will likely rejoin the team when rosters expand on September 1.
Regarded as a proficient defensive outfielder who can play all three spots, Gwynn saw extensive time in center field this year when Matt Kemp was sidelined.
In the first year of a two-year, $2 million deal with Los Angeles, the second round pick of Milwaukee out of San Diego State in the 2003 draft has a career .244 average and .630 OPS with seven home runs and 95 RBI in 1,671 plate appearances over seven Major League seasons in Milwaukee, San Diego and Los Angeles.
