Catcher Josh Bard has played his last game of the season — and his last game — with The San Diego Padres.

Bard strained his right triceps on Monday, a relapse of the same injury that he suffered last month, also in Denver.

“It’s weird and frustrating with the way the season has gone,” Bard said before the Padres faced the Rockies on Tuesday at Coors Field.

In a season in which Bard has been hampered by injuries, this injury effectively ends his season with 11 games remaining, manager Bud Black said.

“He’s more than likely out for the year,” Black said.

The injury means Bard, acquired in 2006 from the Boston Red Sox with reliever Cla Meredith, has played his last game with the Padres.

A team source indicated Tuesday that the Padres won’t offer him salary arbitration after the season, rendering him a free agent.

With rookie Nick Hundley figuring to get the majority of starts at catcher next season, the Padres will either fill their reserve catcher role internally with someone like Luke Carlin, who started Tuesday, or through free agency.

One option for a backup could be 39-year-old Brad Ausmus, who lives in Del Mar. Ausmus, who played for San Diego from 1993-96, has said this will be his last season in Houston and that he wants to play closer to home.

The Padres’ catching situation is certainly a far cry from where the team was when it broke Spring Training when it had two veteran catchers — Bard and Michael Barrett — it felt comfortable with.

But Barrett missed 41 games earlier this season with a strained elbow ligament and has been out since July 4 with a fractured nose.

“It’s a tough situation,” Black said. “That’s a position we thought we were well covered. It just goes to show you never know.”

Bard suffered a strain of the right triceps taking batting practice at Coors Field on Aug. 8 and missed 13 games. He suffered a similar injury on Monday doing another hitting drill.

Bard, who missed 54 games earlier this season with a high ankle sprain, will now miss more games this season than he’s played in (57). He finishes the season hitting .202 in 178 at-bats with one home run and 16 RBIs.

Bard hit .338 in 93 games with the Padres following the trade from Boston and .285 last season with five home runs and 51 RBIs.

Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Following a close game Friday night, on Saturday night The San Diego Padreslose another as the Brew-Crew’s original ace Big Ben Sheets shut out the Padres on five hits.

Jake Peavythe Padres ace faired pretty well, considering he went 7 innings giving up only 5 hits one earned run 4 BBs and 5 SO. Cla Meredith went one inning giving up only one hit and 2 SO.

As the title mentions the Padres where shut out, so I’ll tell you who just hit the ball. Luis Rodriguez went 3-4 with 3 out of five Padre hits. Also Chase Headley went 2-4 with the rest of the Padres hits.

Tomorrow’s game will give the Padres a chance to at least split the series with the Brew-Crew as the Padres send Big Ole Chris Young(4-5) vs. Parra(10-6). Game starts 11:05am pt/1:05pm ct/2:05pm et 

After a long flight the day before, The San Diego Padres lose a close one, as the Rookie Josh Geer shows his value for the future of the Padres, going 5 innings allowing 7 hits 2 earned runs 3 BBs and 2 SO.

The Bullpen followed up like this: Clay Hensley, Cla Meredith and Heath Bell combined to throw up 4 innings of shutout baseball, only allowing 2 hits and one BB. While Brian Falkenborg earned the loss by giving up 3 hits one run it was earned and 3 BBs all in 2 and one thirds innings.

Brian Giles went 4-6 with one RBI and one run scored, Adrian Gonzalez went 0-2 with 3 BBs one RBI and one strikeout.

The San Diego Padres lose again to the Dodgers taking a sweep from them. Wade LeBlancin his first ever major league start went 4 innings giving up 8 hits 5 ER 3 BB one SO and 2 HRs. While the rest of the bullpen’s line went like this, Cla Meredith and Heath Bell went 2 innings scoreless with one SO. one bad note, Mike Adams went 2 innings giving up one hit one run 2 SO and one HR.

Kevin Kouzmanoff went 2-4 with a HR a BB and a run scored, Josh Bard went 2-4 with three RBIs.

The San Diego Padres lose as Greg Maddux collects his 354th win of his career. Chris Youngwent 5 innings giving up 6 hits 4 ER 3 BBs 3 SO AND 1 HR. The bullpen followed as so: Cla Meredith and Justin Hampson combined to throw up 2 scoreless innings allowing one BB. Clay Hensley went one inning giving up 3 hits one run it was earned.

The Bats went like this, Chase Headley went 1-4 with an RBI,Kevin Kouzmanoffwent 1-4 with an RBI and a SO, also did Headley.

The San Diego Padres lose another as they open a series, being out-slugged by the Rockies 9-4. Nick Hundley hits his 4th homerun of the season, Adrian Gonzalez collected his 93rd RBI of the season and Chase Headley also got his 28th of the season.

The Pitching score card looked like: Drik Hayhurstwent 4 innings giving up 5 hits 4 ER 4 BBs 4 SO and one homer. Bullpen: Brett Tomko and Cla Meredith combined to throw up 3 scoreless innings giving up one hit and one BB and getting one strikeout.

Justin Hampson,Clay Hensley and Brian Falkenborgcombined to throw up 2 innings giving up only 4 hits 5 runs 4 earned 2 BBs 4 SO and one HR.

The San Diego Padres:

Recalled RHP Cla Meredith from Triple-A Portland. Placed OF Scott Hairston on the 15-day disabled list with a torn ligament in his left thumb. Purchased the contracts of RHP Josh Geer and OF Will Venablefrom Triple-A Portland. Out-righted RHP Josh Banks to Triple-A Portland.

The San Diego Padres Latest Transactions:
8/13/2008:
Claimed RHP Brian Falkenborg off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
8/14/2008:
Placed RHP Chris Young on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 11, with a strained right forearm.
8/16/2008:
Recalled RHP Chad Reineke from Triple-A Portland. Optioned RHP Cla Meredith to Triple-A Portland.

The San Diego Padres lose again too the Brewers 7-1 C.C Sabathia was his usally self going 7 innings 9 hits giving only one run and 8 k-out frairs. Out Pitching staff on the other hand, Josh Banks went 4 and one thirds innings giving up 5 hits 7 earned runs 6 BBs and one strikeout and one HR giving up.

The Bullpen has been showing up also of recently very well, and today was no different as Justin Hampson, Wilfredo Ledezma and Cla Meredith combined to throw up 4 and two thirds innings of shutout baseball; with 3 hits one walk and 6 strikeout.

The only offence that I am reporting is Nick Hundley 11th RBI of the season.

Tomorrow’s game will feature our ace (for how ever long he will be here) Jake Peavy(8-8) vs. ex-Padre Ben Sheets (11-5) game starts at 12:35pm pt. no t.v.

After a long day off, The San Diego Padres return to their losing ways of 08′, being out slugged by the Brewers; usually you hear something like “the pads out slugged by brewers” not surprised but when it is 5-2 you think whats wrong with the Brew Crew.

Cha Seung Beak went 6 innings 7 hits 5 runs all earned 4 BB 3 strikeouts and 2 HR given up. Cla Meredith, Wilfredo Ledezma and Clay Hensley combined to throw up 3 shutout innings with two of them coming from Hensley, only giving up one hit one BB and 2 strikeouts. 

Batting was not good at all, Kevin Kouzmanoff got is 18th homer run of the year second in as many games, that was is only hit. Jody Gerut hit is 12th of the year and it was his second homer also well in as many games. Other notes: Nick Hundley and Chase Headley both had a hit a piece.

Tomorrow’s game will highlight Josh Banks(3-4) vs. C.C Sabathia(12-8) game starts at 7:05pm pt/10:05pm et