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Padres Press Clips

Thursday, September 20, 2018

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Padres notes: Galvis refreshed; Myers homers; baby Jankowski SD Union Tribune Acee 2

Robbie Erlin, Padres get win over Giants SD Union Tribune Acee 5

Padres notes: Myers won’t blame third base for poor plate SD Union Tribune Acee 8

performance

Make-A-Wish San Diego makes Levi Smith a Padre for a day SD Union Tribune Sanders 11

Third basemen to watch in Padres’ farm system SD Union Tribune Sanders 13

Myers’ two-run homer caps five-run inning MLB.com Cassavell 16

Padres go all out for Make-A-Wish child MLB.com Cassavell 18

Youth is served: Padres’ best rookie this season MLB.com Staff 20

Myers, Galvis homer to lift Padres over Giants 8-4 AP AP 26

Field of Dreams: Padres and Make-A-Wish Team Up NBC 7 Strain 28

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Padres notes: Galvis refreshed; Myers homers; baby Jankowski

Kevin Acee

Freddy Galvis seemed to be playing the way one might expect of the only player in the

major leagues to have not taken a single game off over the past two seasons.

He had hit .125 and reached base at just a .180 clip over a 15-game stretch, and he was

down to .230/.285 for the season.

“I think that’s part of the season – you get hot, you get cold,” Galvis said. “It’s such a

long season. The last couple days, I’ve been feeling much better, getting my timing

back and making good swings.”

In Wednesday’s 8-4 victory over the Giants, the Padres shortstop extended his hitting

streak to five games with a single in the first inning and a three-run homer in the

eighth – on a 99 mph fastball from Ray Black.

“He's heating back up,” manager Andy Green said. “He went through a stretch for a

little bit where it looked like he could have probably used a day off. He grinds. He

fights through those lulls and comes back. It's a lot of velo he turned around right

there. It's a great swing and really good at-bats all day.”

Galvis, 28, has raised his season batting average 10 points to .240 by going 10-for-20

with four doubles and the homer in the past five games. He was 4-for-5 with two

doubles on Tuesday.

“Offensively, it’s not what I wanted it to be,” Galvis said of his first season with the

Padres. “I wanted to produce more. … But they brought me here to play shortstop and

make this defense better. I think I did my job there.”

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After 11 Padres shortstops combined to cost the Padres 38 runs over the previous two

seasons, Galvis has saved seven runs with his defense in 2018, according to

FanGraphs, while playing more innings (1,357) than any player at any position in the

majors this season.

And where those Padres shortstops ranked 28th in the majors the past two seasons

cleanly fielding just 95.4 percent of balls considered to have a 90-100 percent

probability, Galvis ranks second in the majors this season at 98.7 percent.

Before Wednesday’s game, Green acknowledged Galvis disputes the notion he might

benefit from some down time.

“I respect him disagreeing with that,” Green said. “(But) days off strategically placed

throughout the course of the season can help guys. We probably could have looked up

and seen better numbers if we were able to rest him more.”

Galvis was one of five major leaguers to play in all 162 games in 2017, when he was

with the Phillies, and is the only player to have appeared in every one of his team’s

games this season, starting them all. It’s a streak that means a lot to him.

Myers breaks homer drought

Wil Myers’ two-run homer in the second inning was his first homer in 15 September

games.

“It was good to come through in a way I hadn’t recently,” said Myers said, who spoke

earlier this week about his recent struggles at the plate.

Including his 1-for-4 performance on Wednesday, Myers is hitting .217/.297/.349

with two homers in 28 starts as a third baseman. He was batting .273/.317/.517 in 183

plate appearances before making the move from the outfield in mid-August.

Extra bases

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• Outfielder Travis Jankowski missed Wednesday’s game after flying home to be

with his wife for the birth of their first child, a son named Bentley. Jankowski is

expected back for Friday’s game in Los Angeles.

• Rookie Franmil Reyes is riding a career-high 11-game hitting streak after going

2-for-3 with a walk. He is 16-for-39 with five walks during the streak. He has hit

safely in 24 of 26 games since Aug. 21, batting .395/.467/.679 in that span. His

average during those 26 games leads the majors, his OBP is second to Mike

Trout’s .484 mark for the Angels, and his 1.146 OPS (on-base plus slugging

percentages) is third behind the Brewers’ Christian Yelich (1.219) and the

Yankees’ Luke Voit (1.159).

• Cory Spangenberg started at second base and went 2-for-4 with a double. He is

batting .256/.311/.377 in 244 plate appearances as a starter and .132/.246/.340

in 62 plate appearances off the bench this season.

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Robbie Erlin, Padres get win over Giants

Kevin Acee

The Padres’ Swiss Army Knife pitcher got the win in his second-to-last start of the

season.

And not due to anything Robbie Erlin did in his five innings of work on Wednesday, it

was more likely than not his second-to-last start with the Padres.

At least scheduled start, in that it is actually impossible to rule out Erlin doing

anything. And everything.

“He’s a very valuable pitcher,” pitching coach Darren Balsley said. “He can spot start,

he can come out of the ‘pen and go long, he can get one lefty out, he can get a righty

out. He can do a lot of things. He’s really, really valuable in that combination. He’s

one of the most valuable pitchers we have. … There’s a trust factor, a reliability factor,

and he can do anything. That’s a huge plus. He’s a utility pitcher.”

The left-hander on Wednesday endured a three-run, 25-pitch second inning, which

perhaps prevented his going deeper into the 8-4 victory, though manager Andy Green

indicated before the game he was inclined to go to his deep bullpen early prior to a

day off.

After Giants starter Chris Stratton hit a bases-loaded double to put San Francisco up

3-0 in the top of the second, the first five Padres batters reached base against Stratton

(10-10) in the bottom of the second. Successive RBI singles by Cory Spangenberg

and Freddy Galvis and Manuel Margot’s sacrifice fly tied the game. Wil Myers added a

two run-homer before the inning was finished.

Aramis Garcia’s solo home run off Craig Stammen made it a one-run game in the

eighth before Galvis’ three-run homer in the bottom of the inning provided the final

margin.

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What Erlin did Wednesday continued a stretch of overall consistency since he

returned to the rotation in early August. It was the sixth time in those nine starts that

he went at least five innings.

But really, Wednesday was never going to have much bearing on where Erlin ends up

in 2019.

The stats say it. So, essentially, does his manager.

“He very easily could end up in the rotation next year,” Green said. “He’ll come in and

compete for that opportunity. Whether he gets it will be dictated by how he throws,

how other guys throw, but also the understanding that Robbie can slide to the bullpen

and give us good, effective innings there.”

Especially considering how many young starters the Padres will be auditioning next

spring and into the season and the fact there are increased rumblings around the

majors they are going to shop for starting pitching, it isn’t difficult to read between

the lines Green drew with that response.

And then there are the stat lines.

In 11 starts this season, Erlin has a 6.66 ERA over 51 1/3 innings.

In 27 appearances out of the bullpen, he was on occasion brought in to just get a

couple outs, once pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings and worked enough other scoreless

one-, two- and three-inning outings to post a 2.05 ERA in 52 2/3 innings.

Erlin’s ability to execute four pitches decently explains both his success as a reliever

and his relative shortcomings as a starter.

The four pitches help him mid-game against batters who haven’t done extensive

preparation for him. But decent pitches aren’t good enough to get major league

batters out two and three times a game – especially when those hitters have spent the

bulk of their pregame study on him as that day’s starting pitcher.

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Erlin has allowed a .232 opponent batting average his first time through a lineup, a

.322 average his second time through and .400 average when facing a lineup for the

third time in a game.

None of the four batters he faced a third time Wednesday got a hit. He just has to be

nearly perfect at that point in a game.

Erlin likes to start. It’s the role with which he is most familiar.

But he learned to appreciate the reliever role.

And he’s happy to have a role.

“What I see in myself – and I hope other people would see it – is I see myself as

somebody that can take the ball every time he’s asked now.”

That is not a cliché for a guy who made five appearances in 2016 before Tommy John

surgery that kept him out all of last season.

“It’s a huge relief,” he said. “I don’t know if I can explain how much it means to me

personally. If there is one thing to take away – and there are a ton of things to take

away form this season – it is that I’m healthy and feel good. That’s great, from a

getting-over-the-hump standpoint. … For me, that’s the biggest factor. If I can pick up

a ball and throw it every day, and its pain free, I can work on a craft. I can pitch

whenever they ask me to pitch.”

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Padres notes: Myers won't blame third base for poor plate performance

Kevin Acee

Wil Myers is back playing third base after a night off, trying once again to finish

strong at the plate while also spending an inordinate amount of time learning a new

position.

He entered Wednesday’s game against the Giants batting .214/.302/.320 in 29 games

since moving from the outfield. At the time of the move, he was batting .273/.317/.517

through his first 44 games of an injury-afflicted season.

“Listen, I’m not going to blame anything on third base,” Myers said. “But yeah, you’re

learning a new position, there are some things there that can be a distraction. But at

the end of the day, it’s still on me to hit regardless of what position I’m playing.”

What frustrates Myers as much as anything is that he spent time and money last

winter in an effort to alleviate his peaks and valleys — especially to mitigate the

valleys that have often dragged down his numbers.

“I don’t want to be doing this too long,” he said. “This is what I worked on this

offseason — to not struggle this long — and it’s still kind of there,” he said. “I’ve got to

find a way to keep working at it. Find a way to be more content, find a way to keep

grinding.”

Myers is batting .251/.311/.444 in 299 plate appearances. His .755 OPS (on-base plus

slugging percentages) is on pace to be the lowest in his four seasons with the Padres.

And after averaging 662 plate appearances the past two seasons, he is on pace for just

318.

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“It’s tough,” manager Andy Green said of the task of assessing Myers’ season. “A lot of

frequent stops and starts, then we throw a wrinkle at him and ask him to play third

base. He didn’t shy away from that change. He’s put in a ton of effort … to acclimate

to a position that is very difficult to acclimate to at the big-league level.

“He is one of our guys that is going to be really, really good in the middle of our lineup

for a long time. I think the frequent stops and starts, the position switch, all that has

made it tough. That said, we have a lot of confidence in him.”

Different paths to rookie power

Franmil Reyes and Christian Villanueva have combined for 46 of the Padres’ National

League-leading 51 home runs hit by rookies this season.

Villanueva, who is out for the season after fracturing a finger on his throwing hand in

August, hit almost half his 20 homers in the season’s first month. Reyes has 10 of his

16 homers since his most recent call-up from Triple-A on Aug. 5.

Villanueva hit .317/.404/.707 in his first 24 games of the season. Reyes has hit

.331/.388/.619 in his past 39 games.

In Green’s acknowledgement of one of the chief measures of the difference between

their two hot stretches was an implicit indication Reyes’ run is more impressive.

“Probably a greater variety of the pitcher types he’s hit,” Green said of Reyes.

Reyes has started 35 of the Padres’ 48 games since his most recent call-up. He has hit

.276/.321/.539 with six homers in 81 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers

and .429/.500/.762 with four homers in 42 plate appearances against lefties.

Villanueva feasted off left-handers, hitting .467/.515/1.300 with eight homers in his

first 33 plate appearances. In 61 plate appearances against righties in that span, he hit

.231/.344/.365 with one homer.

Extra bases

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• Francisco Mejia will catch the next two games after Austin Hedges caught the

last two.

• The Padres have drawn at least four walks in a season-high five straight games.

The Padres rank 23rd in the majors in walks, up two spots from before this

streak. They also rank last in the majors with a .297 on-base percentage, which

has ticked up one point in the five games.

• The Padres’ six straight losses to the Giants is their longest since a nine-game

streak from April-May 2016.

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Make-A-Wish San Diego makes Levi Smith a Padre for a day

Jeff Sanders

Levi Smith had just signed a one-day day contract (to be paid in sunflower seeds

and bubblegum) when he exited Padres manager Andy Green’s office Wednesday

afternoon. The game’s starting third baseman and leadoff hitter, Wil Myers, made

sure to say hello as his newest teammate made his way to the No. 42 Padres jersey

hanging between Freddy Galvis’ and Christian Villaneuva’s lockers.

The introduction was not necessary.

“I watch you every day and night,” the 5-year-old San Diegan beamed.

Myers laughed with approval: “That’s what I’m talking about.”

It’s no joke.

Born with a congenital heart condition that required a pacemaker shortly after he was

born, Levi watches Padres games nightly, records the games to re-watch the next

morning and knows a great deal of his new teammates’ jersey numbers, stats and

tendencies.

No. 30? Eric Hosmer, Levi told Green as the two made their way to the indoor

batting cage to greet the Padres’ first baseman.

His lockermate, Galvis, “does good plays on double plays.”

His favorite player? Hunter Renfroe, who moments earlier had gifted Levi a

players weekend bat as part of a visit made possible by Make-A-Wish San Diego.

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“This is what it’s all about – giving back to the community and giving back to kids,”

Renfroe said. “You can remember when you were that age, and obviously this is a

different situation, but you remember when you were a kid and looked up to guys. It’s

incredibly humbling to be part of this experience and part of making this day special

for him.”

Before Wednesday’s game, Levi dressed at his locker before joining Green in his pre-

game meeting with reporters. Afterward, with regular batting practice called off, Levi

ran through several drills on the field, from hitting off a tee, to fielding grounders off

the bat of Craig Stammen, to running the bases alongside Austin Hedges (“right

foot!” several Padres called out to Levi as he pivoted to second base, relaying Skip

Schumaker’s preferred foot as Levi rounded first).

Just off the field, Levi’s mother watched, Hannah, watched with her

husband, Matthew, as their son played ball with the team he watches every night

before bed. She, too, has a congenital heart condition that requires a pacemaker. Her

son’s was inserted 10 days after he was born due to a second-degree heart block,

allowing him to live mostly a normal life.

Wednesday’s visit to Petco Park — which included delivering the game ball to the

mound and taking grounders from Hosmer just before first pitch — was anything but

normal.

“It’s fantastic,” Hannah said, “to watch him do what he wants to do with all his heart.”

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Minors Third basemen to watch in Padres’ farm system

Jeff Sanders

The 2018 season began with Chase Headley at third base. It’s ending with Wil

Myers experimenting at the position some 20 months after signing an $83 million

extension as the face of the franchise.

That mantle now belongs to Eric Hosmer, who is at first base for the foreseeable

future after signing a franchise-record $144 million deal.

Whether Myers is part of a long-term answer at third depends on how he takes to the

position (five errors in 27 games), who the Padres trade (or don’t trade) out of a

crowded outfield picture and who from a deep farm system develops into viable big

league prospects.

As far as homegrown options, there are few obvious choices for the hot corner,

although almost all of the Padres’ middle infield prospects – from Fernando Tatis Jr.

to Luis Urias, to Estury Ruiz to Eguy Rosario to Sean Guilbe – have playing time at

third base.

1. Hudson Potts

• Age: 19

• Team(s): High Single-A Lake Elsinore, Double-A San Antonio

• 2018 stats: .260 avg., .335 OBP, .455 SLG, 19 HRs, 63 RBIs, 71 runs, 4 steals,

47 walks, 145 strikeouts (128 games, 484 at-bats)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-3 / 205 pounds

• Bats/Throws: R / R

• How acquired: First round in 2016 (Carroll HS, Texas)

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• Need to know: Drafted as Hudson Sanchez before taking on the last name

of his stepfather, Potts was committed to Texas A&M when he received a $1

million signing bonus as the 24th overall pick in 2016. He hit one homer his first

summer in pro ball, collected 20 last year after a blazing finish in the Midwest

League (1.060 OPS in August) and advanced to Double-A in July after pairing a

.281/.350/.498 batting line with 17 homers and 58 RBIs in 106 games in the

California League. Potts struggled mightily in the Texas League (.489 OPS in 22

games) but will no doubt return to the level next year as one of the circuit’s

youngest players. Although prone to strikeouts, his power potential and

aptitude as often one of the youngest players in his league each year – he was

the third-youngest in the Cal League on opening day – has pushed him up to

No. 23 in the Padres system, according to MLB.com.

2. Ty France

• Age: 24

• Team(s): Double-A San Antonio, Triple-A El Paso

• 2018 stats: .267 avg., .355 OBP, .464 SLG, 22 HRs, 96 RBIs, 84 runs, 3 steals,

46 walks, 89 strikeouts (137 games, 509 at-bats)

• Height/weight: 6-foot / 205 pounds

• Bats/Throws: R / R

• How acquired: 34th round in 2015 (San Diego State)

• Need to know: A pupil of Tony Gwynn’s while with the Aztecs, France had

been considered a bit of an over-achiever who hit and got on base in a steady

climb to Double-A. This year, he added a necessity for a corner infielder: Power.

His 22 homers were tied with Austin Allen for the most in the system and his

96 RBIs led all Padres minor leaguers. He collected 17 homers in 112 games in

the Texas League and added five more after his first promotion to the Triple-A

Pacific Coast League. France has been an all-star each of the last two years for

San Antonio, but has never been regarded as a prospect and will be extremely

difficult for the talent-rich Padres to fit onto the 40-man roster ahead of

France’s first year of Rule-5 eligibility.

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3. Vladimir Echavarria

• Age: 18

• Team(s): Rookie-level DSL Padres

• 2018 stats: .205 avg., .413 OBP, .301 SLG, 2 HRs, 20 RBIs, 32 runs, 16 steals,

55 walks, 70 strikeouts (60 games, 176 at-bats)

• Height/weight: 5-foot-11 / 160 pounds

• Bats/Throws: R / R

• How acquired: Non-drafted free agent in July 2017 (Dominican Republic)

• Need to know: Among the Padres low-dollar investments in its 2017-18

penalty, Echavarria signed for $145,000. He led the DSL Padres in walks, steals

and errors (21). From Baseball America’s scouting report in their roundup of

the Padres’ 2017-18 signings: “He’s a quick-twitch athlete … with plus speed

and an arm that grade out as at least a 60 on the 20-80 scale. Echavarria has a

promising base of athleticism and raw tools to build on, but he will have to

smooth out his right-handed swing.”

4. Elvis Sabala

• Age: 20

• Team(s): Rookie-level AZL Padres, short-season Tri-City

• 2018 stats: .235 avg., .365 OBP, .365 SLG, 2 HRs, 18 RBIs, 14 runs, 1 steal, 18

walks, 26 strikeouts (31 games, 85 at-bats)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-1 / 178 pounds

• Bats/Throws: R / R

• How acquired: Non-drafted free agent in July 2014 (Dominican Republic)

• Need to know: Signed for $500,000, Sabala hit .123, .232 and .204 in three

straight seasons in the Dominican Summer League before starting 2018 in the

Arizona League. In 24 games wrapped around a seven-game stint in the

Northwest League (.492 OPS), Sabala hit .262/.388/.415 and walked (14)

nearly as often as he struck out (15).

Other names to know: Luis Guzman (A+, .623 OPS), Victor Nova (DSL, .661 OPS),

Yerry Landinez (DSL, .593 OPS), Kelvin Alarcon (SS, .464 OPS).

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Myers' two-run homer caps five-run inning

By AJ Cassavell

SAN DIEGO -- No matter what he does over the next 10 days, Wil Myers' 2018 season is going to be remembered as a tumultuous one.

He spent 73 games on the disabled list with an assortment of injuries, and earlier this month he found himself entangled in controversy (of his own doing). At the plate, he's been OK, but he never hit his stride. He's also struggled with a midseason transition to third base.

And yet, there are still moments like Wednesday night, when Myers offers a reminder of what he's capable. In the Padres' 8-4 victory over the Giants at Petco Park, Myers crushed a long two-run homer into the home bullpen, putting San Diego on top for good.

"It was nice just to do something in a bigger situation, which I haven't done a lot of in recent weeks," Myers said.

"He's had those stops and starts," said Padres manager Andy Green. "Most of it's been injuries, just having a hard time finding that consistent rhythm. ... It's probably not the type of offensive year he was looking for. But he's still done some very nice things. I think that was evident tonight."

The home run was Myers' 11th of the season, and he's the first to point out that that number needs to be higher for a guy who expects to anchor the middle of a lineup.

He averaged 29 homers over the past two years. But even in those seasons, Myers went through prolonged struggles. Since joining the Padres in December 2014, it's felt as though Myers has left something on the table all four years.

"I'm obviously talented, but have not put together a whole season to my capability yet," Myers said. "That's what I want to do. I'm going to try to take those steps this offseason. I'm going to really work to truly put a full season together."

Meanwhile, Padres left-hander Robbie Erlin was mostly sharp over five innings Wednesday night. He faltered only once, in the top of the second inning, when he allowed a three-run double to Chris Stratton, the opposing pitcher.

The San Diego offense responded in no time. The first four batters in the bottom of the frame all managed to reach base after falling into a two-strike hole. Manuel Margot added a two-strike sacrifice fly. And after Erlin's sacrifice bunt, Myers went deep on a 3-2 slider from Stratton.

"Those successive two-strike at-bats leading until Wil hit his home run, that was as good a stretch as we had all year," Green said.

The score remained 5-3 until the eighth, when the Giants clawed one back on Aramis Garcia's solo home run. But Freddy Galvis responded with a three-run blast in the bottom of the frame, putting the game out of reach.

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GALVIS IN A GROOVE Barring injury, Galvis will be the only player in the Majors to play all 162 games in consecutive seasons. Somehow, he's putting together arguably his best offensive stretch in late September.

The switch-hitting Galvis went 4-for-5 on Tuesday night, and he knocked in four runs with a pair of hits on Wednesday. He's 10-for-20 with five extra-base hits during his current five-game hitting streak, and his homer came on a 99 mph fastball from right-hander Ray Black.

"That's a lot of velo he turned around right there," Green said.

Galvis' glove is excellent, but he isn't particularly pleased with his overall offensive performance this season. He's batting .240/.293/.368 -- all below his marks from 2017.

"Offensively, this is not where I want to be," Galvis said. "For sure I want to produce more. I want to help the team more. But you can't complain. I have to keep working, try to do my best and finish strong, go to the offseason and try to get better."

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS The Padres partnered with Make-A-Wish San Diego to give 5-year-old Levi Smith the experience of a lifetime on Wednesday evening. Smith -- an ardent Padres fan born with a congenital heart condition -- signed a one-day contract with the club and spent the day hanging around his favorite players.

When the Padres took the field before the game, so did Smith. For pregame warmups, Smith fielded the first ground ball thrown from Eric Hosmer. The kid's got a pretty good arm.

UP NEXT After an off-day Thursday, the Padres open a three-game series with the Dodgers in Los Angeles beginning Friday at 7:10 p.m. PT. The Padres tweaked their rotation so they'd have three rookies pitching at Dodger Stadium this weekend, giving them exposure to a pennant-race environment. On Friday night, Eric Lauer takes the hill opposite fellow left-hander Rich Hill.

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Padres go all out for Make-A-Wish child

Levi Smith's mom says it was 'best day of his life'

By AJ Cassavell SAN DIEGO -- The Padres signed a promising young right-hander on Wednesday afternoon. Then they gave him the experience of a lifetime.

Five-year-old Levi Smith -- an ardent Padres fan born with a congenital heart condition -- signed a one-day contract with the team, and he made the most of his day with the club. In partnership with Make-A-Wish San Diego, the Padres hosted Smith for the day. He took grounders in the infield, ran the bases and even got his own locker in the home clubhouse.

"It's excitement that I don't even know how to express," said Hannah Smith, Levi's mom. "He's having the best day of his life. This is as special to him as anything could be."

Smith arrived in the players' parking lot in style via limousine. He proceeded through the tunnel to the clubhouse and received a standing ovation from dozens upon dozens of Padres' staff.

Afterward, Smith put pen to paper with Andy Green in the manager's office. Green showed Smith to his locker, where he spent time hanging out with the players. In one corner, a handful of relief pitchers invited Smith to shoot hoops with them on a mini basket they'd stationed on the wall.

All the while, Smith beamed. As a result of his heart condition, he was placed in the NICU, where he had surgery and a pacemaker inserted when he was 10 days old. His parents noted that he watches every Padres game at night -- and then again on replay in the morning.

"Right after his last surgery, I remember him getting home, and the first thing he was excited to do was watch the Pads," Hannah Smith said.

Levi received a game-used bat from Hunter Renfroe (his favorite player) then proceeded from the clubhouse to the dugout where Green held his media session. He predicted an Austin Hedges home run, then made the announcement that left-hander Joey Lucchesi will start Sunday's game in Los Angeles.

The most touching moment of the day came after Levi spent half an hour running the bases, taking swings off a tee and fielding ground balls. When he stepped on home plate one final time, right-hander Craig Stammen lifted Levi onto his shoulders. He was mobbed by the entire team. The other relievers, playing catch up the right-field line, temporarily ditched their throwing session to join in.

"Any time you have a family that's going through that and you have a kid with a dream and you can make it possible, it's humbling," said closer Kirby Yates. "This is where he wants to come. This is where he wants to be, because that's what his dream is. It puts it in the right perspective and puts baseball on the backburner."

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Smith delivered the game ball to the mound and lined up with the team for the national anthem before watching the game with his family from a luxury box.

"It's so uplifting for him to watch the Padres, and not only the Padres, but baseball in general," said Matt Smith, Levi's father. "This experience is unbelievable. For him, it's his life right now."

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Youth is served: Padres' best rookie this season

MLB.com

Each year, a new group of rookies sets out to make a mark in the Major Leagues, and in 2018, many of these young players have made history with their performances. They're fueling clubs during postseason races, as well as giving fans a glimpse of what's to come in the years ahead.

With the aid of all 30 MLB.com beat writers, here's a look at each team's best rookie this season:

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays: Ryan Borucki Borucki has opened his Major League career with quality starts in 10 of his first 15 outings. Even though Borucki did not make his debut until the end of June, he has the third-most starts of at least six innings and two runs or fewer among Major League rookies. Only San Francisco's Dereck Rodriguez has registered more of those starts this season. Borucki appears to be a future cornerstone of the Blue Jays' rotation and his rookie campaign has been an overwhelming success with a 3.86 ERA.

Orioles: Cedric Mullins It's been a tough year for Baltimore, but Mullins has given O's fans a glimmer of hope in the past two months. Since becoming the first Oriole to record three hits in his debut, the center fielder -- who moved Adam Jones over to right -- has showcased his range and speed and has become a table-setter for a lineup that sorely needs more dynamic players.

Rays: Joey Wendle Tampa Bay acquired Wendle from Oakland during the Winter Meetings -- the same day the Yankees finalized their acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton. Many found humor in how the Rays "answered" their division foe's acquisition. Wendle has hardly been a joke, though. He's played second base, third base, shortstop, right field and left field. While Wendle's glove has been dazzling as billed, particularly at second, his bat has been equally so. He always seems to be in the middle of rallies. Wendle has above-average speed and runs out every ball, and he's shown decent power. He has been a big reason for Tampa Bay's marked improvement this season.

Red Sox: Brian Johnson Out of options, Johnson had no option but to become a dependable contributor for the Red Sox this season, and that's exactly what he has done. Though he has unspectacular numbers (4-4, 4.24 ERA), Johnson has been one of the most important members of the pitching staff for manager Alex Cora because of his ability to move seamlessly between the bullpen and starting rotation, and often doing both roles within days of each other. In 12 starts, Johnson is 4-2 with a 4.06 ERA. He could have a few more wins, but he was taken out just shy of five innings numerous times.

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Yankees: Miguel Andujar Nothing was handed to Andujar, who made the most of an early-season opportunity when Brandon Drury landed on the disabled list to grab hold of the third-base job. Andujar's calling card is his bat, and he quickly cemented a reputation as an extra-base hit machine, tallying the third-most extra-base hits by a rookie in Yankees history behind Joe DiMaggio (88) and Aaron Judge (79). The AL Rookie of the Month in June and August, Andujar has worked to polish his defense. With Gleyber Torres also enjoying a strong season, the Yanks have two legitimate choices to follow Judge as the AL Rookie of the Year Award winner.

AL CENTRAL

Indians: Shane Bieber Indians manager Terry Francona jokes that Chris Antonetti, the team's president of baseball operations, did not bring Bieber to MLB camp in the spring because the manager would not have let the pitcher return to the Minors. Bieber, 23, cruised through Double-A and Triple-A, posting a 1.47 ERA with 77 strikeouts vs. seven walks in 79 2/3 innings. When the back of Cleveland's rotation ran into some issues, Bieber rose to the big leagues. He debuted in late May and returned for good in June. The rookie has enjoyed a promising campaign and figures to be a part of the Tribe's postseason pitching staff.

Royals: Brad Keller Keller, a right-hander, was an absolute steal in the Rule 5 Draft. He started the season in the bullpen and eventually graduated to the rotation, where he has been arguably the Royals' best starter and certainly a top-of-the-rotation guy moving forward. Opposing hitters throughout the season have called facing Keller an "uncomfortable at-bat." His four-seam fastball, which hovers around 93-95 mph, moves like a cutter, and he has worked to develop an effective slider and changeup. During a recent six-game stretch, Keller went 4-1 with a 1.85 ERA, permitting just a .645 OPS. While Keller, 23, likely won't win the AL Rookie of the Year Award -- especially with Shohei Ohtani, Torres and Andujar in the running -- he at least deserves some consideration. Keller is a lock for the rotation in 2019.

Tigers: Niko Goodrum The Tigers took a chance on the former Twins second-round pick, extending a Spring Training invite in the hopes that his versatility and athleticism would help him stick while learning on the job in the big leagues. Much to their surprise, Goodrum has become essentially an everyday player and a cog in Detroit's lineup, with a .741 OPS that ranks second on the team to Nicholas Castellanos. He has made a start at every defensive position except center field, catcher and pitcher.

Twins: Jake Cave The Twins took a chance on Cave in March, acquiring him from the Yankees for Minor League right-hander Luis Gil, and Cave has responded with a strong rookie season. The 25-year-old wasn't expected to play much this season, but with center fielder Byron Buxton out most of the year because of injuries and offensive inconsistency, the left-handed-hitting Cave has filled in nicely. He's capable of playing all three outfield positions and has shown some power offensively, hitting .257/.300/.458 with 11 homers and 13 doubles through his first 82 career games.

White Sox: Daniel Palka The White Sox picked up the left-handed slugger off waivers from the Twins on Nov. 3, 2017.

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While he didn't break camp with the team, Palka not only leads the White Sox in home runs, but also set a single-season franchise record for most homers from a left-handed-hitting rookie. Palka has a knack for the big hit, having knocked out six home runs in the ninth inning. Left-handed reliever Jace Fry made a solid late-inning rookie impression, but Palka provided the biggest power boost.

AL WEST

Angels: Shohei Ohtani A rocky Spring Training created some questions about how Ohtani's talent would translate to the Majors, but he quickly erased those doubts once the regular season began. For two months, he dazzled as a two-way phenom for the Angels, emerging as a dominant right-handed pitcher with a triple-digit fastball and devastating splitter and an impact left-handed bat with impressive raw power. An elbow injury derailed his magical season and led to a Tommy John surgery recommendation earlier this month, but it hasn't prevented Ohtani from continuing to hit. He is the first player to log 10 pitching appearances and hit 20 home runs in a season since Babe Ruth in 1919, making him a front-runner for the AL Rookie of the Year Award.

Astros: Max Stassi Stassi made his Major League debut during the Astros' 111-loss season of 2013, and he has bounced between the big leagues and Triple-A each season since while maintaining his rookie status. He's spent most of this year as Houston's backup catcher to Brian McCann, and he is hitting .233 with eight homers and 27 RBIs through 85 games. Stassi was on pace to catch more games than McCann, who missed a chunk of time with knee surgery, and Martin Maldonado, who was acquired in a July trade and cost Stassi significant playing time down the stretch.

Athletics: Lou Trivino Trivino has been an absolute godsend for what's become a deep and dangerous Oakland bullpen, arriving in late April and quickly taking over setup duties behind All-Star closer Blake Treinen with a high-90s fastball and a mid-90s cutter -- a devastating duo. The flamethrowing right-hander singlehandedly bridged the gap for much of the first half before the midseason arrivals of Jeurys Familia, Shawn Kelley and Fernando Rodney, working multiple innings more times than not. Center fielder Ramon Laureano, who has been superb on both sides of the ball since his August promotion, also deserves consideration.

Mariners: Daniel Vogelbach The 25-year-old first baseman made the Opening Day roster after a huge spring, then was sent down when he struggled at the plate in April. But after putting up good numbers again in Triple-A, Vogelbach has flashed his power potential with a couple of big home runs this week as a September callup, including a game-winning pinch-hit grand slam to beat the Astros on Monday.

Rangers: Ronald Guzman This is a tossup between Guzman and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who did a terrific job in a utility role that included time at catcher. But Guzman has emerged as the Rangers' first baseman of the future by showing power, run production and superb defensive ability. There is still more improvement and development needed, but Guzman is among the AL rookie leaders in home runs and RBIs. His emergence also allowed Joey Gallo to take over in left field, which had been a troubled spot for Texas.

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NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves: Ronald Acuna Jr. Acuna has lived up to his top prospect status, as he spent the season's second half producing numbers baseball has seldom seen from a player who has not yet turned 21 years old. He introduced himself to the Majors in April and then suffered a late-May knee injury that sidelined him for a month. But when Acuna was moved to the top of Atlanta's lineup immediately after the All-Star break, the 20-year-old outfielder suddenly became one of the game's top catalysts and power threats. He became a strong NL Rookie of the Year Award candidate and likely earned some down-ballot NL MVP Award consideration.

Marlins: Brian Anderson Not only has Anderson been the Marlins' top rookie in 2018, he has established himself as one of the young faces of the franchise. He's also built a case to be a top-five finisher in the NL Rookie of the Year Award balloting. On the big league roster from wire to wire, Anderson has played third base and right field. He will lead all NL rookies in games played and hits.

Mets: Jeff McNeil McNeil was never a top prospect, and when he arrived in the big leagues, he first drew attention for his unusual knobless bat. But since he took over at second base following the Asdrubal Cabrera trade, he's been a revelation at the plate, commanding attention for his outstanding contact ability and all-around hitting prowess. McNeil hasn't slowed down, either -- he leads all rookies in hitting since his July 24 debut, including 17 multihit games in 54 contests, and is second among all players in triples in that span, with five.

Nationals: Juan Soto Soto wasn't even the Nats' most heralded prospect coming into the year -- that was Victor Robles. But he's hit at an almost unprecedented level for his age, putting himself on lists alongside names like Griffey and Harper. Soto's combination of plate discipline and power marks him as a future star. He's not only a top NL Rookie of the Year Award candidate; he might even get some down-ballot consideration in the crowded NL MVP Award field.

Phillies: Seranthony Dominguez One of the reasons the Phillies held first place in the NL East as late as Aug. 12 is Dominguez, who joined Philadelphia's bullpen in May. He posted a 1.85 ERA in 34 appearances through Aug. 3, striking out 49 and walking 13 in 39 innings, becoming manager Gabe Kapler's most trusted weapon with the game on the line. Dominguez struggled down the stretch as the former starter adjusted to a new role, but there is no question NL East batters are not looking forward to facing him in the future.

NL CENTRAL

Brewers: Freddy Peralta Taylor Williams pitched in more games and Corbin Burnes is playing the most significant role among Brewers rookies down the stretch, but in terms of aggregate value this season, Peralta gets the nod. By making 14 starts, including a history-making 13-strikeout Major League debut on Mother's Day, Peralta helped hold together a starting rotation that was a quiet strength for much of the year despite Jimmy Nelson's year-long absence and significant disabled list time

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for Zach Davies, Wade Miley and others. Among Major League starters who pitched at least 70 innings, only Chris Sale had a lower opponents' average than Peralta.

Cardinals: Jack Flaherty With respect to Harrison Bader (3.5 fWAR), Jordan Hicks (105 mph fastball) and Yairo Munoz (.275 average), it's Flaherty who has emerged as the star of St. Louis' loaded rookie crop -- and the Cardinals' new ace. Premature? Not if you consider how the on-the-playoff-bubble Cards manipulated their rotation so Flaherty will be on turn to start their most important game of the year, whether that's the NL Wild Card Game or a must-win during the season's final series. The 22-year-old has earned the responsibility: He ranks among the NL rookie starter leaders in strikeouts (first), starts (second), innings (second), ERA (fourth), wins (first), fWAR (second) and WHIP (third).

Cubs: David Bote An 18th-round Draft pick in 2012, Bote was pressed into duty when Kris Bryant was injured and has delivered in the clutch. On July 26 against the D-backs, he smacked a game-tying two-run homer with one out in the ninth. On Aug. 12 against the Nationals, Bote delivered a pinch-hit walk-off grand slam in the ninth. That blast helped teach people how to pronounce his last name (it's bow-tee). He hit another walk-off homer on Aug. 24 against the Reds and is the first Cub since Bryant in 2015 with two walk-off homers in one season. Bote has helped support the Cubs' motto to be versatile, starting at second, third, shortstop and in the outfield.

Pirates: Richard Rodriguez Far from a household name, the 28-year-old rookie has become a vital part of Pittsburgh's bullpen in his first extended Major League opportunity. Signed as a Minor League free agent, Rodriguez entered the week with a 2.57 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 79 strikeouts in 63 innings over 56 appearances. Rodriguez doesn't possess overwhelming stuff, but he's getting the job done with a 92.9-mph four-seam fastball he throws about 75 percent of the time plus a swing-and-miss slider.

Reds: Jesse Winker Winker gets the nod despite having his season cut in half by injury. After a slow start, he found his stroke and some power. Overall, Winker batted .299/.405/.431 in 89 games but was slashing .362/.465/.554 in June and July before his year was halted by right shoulder surgery in his non-throwing arm to repair an injury that nagged him even in the Minors. Expected to be fully recovered by Spring Training, the 25-year-old with great plate discipline could be an even bigger offensive threat when fully healthy.

NL WEST

D-backs: Yoshihisa Hirano While Hirano is technically a rookie as far as Major League Baseball is concerned, he certainly was not inexperienced coming into this season after spending 11 seasons pitching in Japan. The D-backs signed him to a two-year contract during the offseason, and he has more than met their expectations. Used primarily in a setup role through the first five months of the season, Hirano's effectiveness -- along with his unflappable makeup -- eventually got him moved into the de facto closer's role in September.

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Dodgers: Walker Buehler In any year not involving Acuna or Soto, the Dodgers' 24-year-old sensation would likely have been a favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year Award. Since his April recall from the Minor Leagues, Buehler was a steady presence through Clayton Kershaw's extended absence and has since cemented himself beside Los Angeles' ace at the top of the rotation, allowing two or fewer runs in 17 of his 21 starts. With the Dodgers embroiled in a tight divisional race, he has a 1.62 ERA since the start of August, and with his season mark at 2.74, he could become Los Angeles' first rookie starter to post an ERA under 3.00 with at least 20 starts since Hideo Nomo in 1995.

Giants: Dereck Rodriguez The son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez is steadily establishing his own identity as a ballplayer as well as his candidacy for a respectable finish in the NL Rookie of the Year Award balloting. The 26-year-old, who converted to pitching from playing the outfield, demonstrated his consistency by pitching at least six innings and allowing two or fewer runs in nine consecutive starts. Despite their losing record overall, the Giants are 9-8 when Rodriguez starts. What makes Rodriguez's story even more remarkable is that he did not pitch above Double-A in Minnesota's farm system last year. San Francisco signed him as a Minor League free agent last November.

Padres: Franmil Reyes Reyes was left unprotected in the Rule 5 Draft last December after leading all Padres Minor Leaguers in home runs in 2017. Thankfully for San Diego, he went unselected. Reyes' power is otherworldly, and he's made huge strides with his approach at the plate. The hulking 6-foot-5, 275-pounder is still a liability defensively. But he's grown into a legit middle-of-the-order game-changer.

Rockies: Ryan McMahon Drafted as a third baseman but blocked at the hot corner by one Nolan Arenado, the 23-year-old McMahon made the Opening Day roster with eyes on the starting first-base job, but he was beat out by veteran Ian Desmond. After struggles at the plate and two extended Minor League stints, McMahon's .330 on-base percentage since his July 29 recall is fourth among Rockies. He has also shown a penchant for clutch homers -- four of his five 2018 long balls have come late in close games with Colorado trailing, including a memorable three-run walk-off shot against the Dodgers on Aug. 11.

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Myers, Galvis homer to lift Padres over Giants 8-4 Associated Press

SAN DIEGO -- Wil Myers wants to have a strong finish to a challenging season. Myers hit a two-run homer to highlight a five-run second inning and lead the San Diego Padres to an 8-4 win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night. "I feel like I'm headed in the right direction," Myers said.

Considered the face of the franchise before Eric Hosmer was acquired in the offseason, Myers has bounced around from the corner outfield spots, to an occasion start at first base to now being the regular third baseman. More so than the position changes, however, it's his three stints on the disabled list which cost him 70 games that derailed his season. "It was a good day for Wil," Padres manager Andy Green said, while noting Myers' defensive play, too. "He's definitely had stops and starts to this season, mostly because of injuries."

Freddy Galvis also homered and Robbie Erlin pitched five solid innings as the Padres avoided a three-game sweep. Galvin has hit in five straight games and has pulled out of a recent rut. "His hitting has picked back up," Green said. "The way he grinds, he fights through the lows and comes back. He is a great example for the young guys."

Added Galvis: "The last couple of games I've got my timing back."

Galvis hit a three-run shot in the eighth as San Diego won for the second time in 10 meetings against San Francisco.

Erlin (4-7) beat the Giants for the first time and snapped a career-high four-start losing streak.

The left-hander allowed three runs on five hits, with two walks and three strikeouts. His last victory came against the Rockies on Aug. 21.

Four Padres relievers allowed one run over the final four innings as San Diego ended its six-game homestand at 2-4.

Chris Stratton (10-9), who was coming off his first career shutout, was gone after three innings. Soon after putting the Giants ahead with a three-run double, Stratton, who was trying to beat the Padres for the second time this season, was replaced after surrendering five runs on six hits and a walk. "I just don't think my fastball command was very good," Stratton said. "Sometimes it's going to be there, and sometimes it's not. You've got to battle with what you've got."

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Rookie Armies Garcia's third homer in eight starts pulled the Giants within 5-4 in the eighth. Garcia has hit safely in nine of his first 10 career games.

The Padres batted around in the second inning to go ahead 5-3. The big blow was Myers' 11th homer this season, which landed in the Padres' bullpen in left-center.

Before Myers went deep, Franmil Reyes extended his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games with a single, Cory Spangenberg and Galvis produced RBI singles and Manuel Margot added a run with a sacrifice fly. Stratton helped himself with a two-out, bases-loaded double in the second. The first extra-base hit of his career put the Giants ahead 3-0.

"He gets a big hit there, knocks in three and you like the lead early in the game," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He just couldn't get on track that second inning."

Brandon Crawford had his 10th three-hit game of the season for the Giants and his first since June. 26. TRAINER'S ROOM

Giants: 1B Brandon Belt (knee) returned to San Francisco to be evaluated by team doctors, with a strong possibility that he will undergo season-ending surgery. UP NEXT

Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner(6-6, 3.14 ERA) gets the start on Friday when the Giants open a three-game series at St. Louis. The last time Bumgarner pitched at Busch Stadium was in Game 1 of the 2014 NLCS, when he blanked the Cardinals for 7 2/3 innings. Bumgarner is coming off a six-inning scoreless gem in beating the Rockies on Sept. 15. Padres: LHP Eric Lauer (5-7, 4.74) opens the Padres' final trip, facing the Dodgers on Friday. Lauer will make his first career start at Dodger Stadium after dominating the Dodgers at Petco Park this year, going 2-0 with a 0.61 ERA.

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Field of Dreams: Padres and Make-A-Wish Team Up While the win was nice, what happened on the field before the game was special

By Todd Strain

Petco Park turned into a real-life field of dreams for the Padres and a 5-year-old kid from

San Diego.

On Wednesday, the Padres beat the San Francisco Giants 8-4, their first win of the 3-

game series after dropping games one and two.

The Padres offense was powered by Wil Myers, with his 11th home run of the season, and

Freddy Galvis, who hit his 12th home run of the season.

The win improved the Padres record to 61-92.

While the win was nice, what happened on the field before the game was special.

In partnership with Make-A-Wish San Diego, the Padres agreed to terms on a one-day

contract with five-year-old Levi Smith of San Diego. Levi’s wish was to be a Padre for a

day, that wish was granted on Wednesday.

Levi was born with a congenital heart condition that resulted in him being placed in the

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and having a pacemaker inserted after surgery. With

Levi’s mother also having a congenital heart condition and requiring a pacemaker, his

condition has been normalized by being able to lean on her through different surgeries

and treatments.

About four hours before first pitch, Levi and his family arrived at the player parking lot in a

limousine where they were greeted by the Pad Squad and escorted to the Padres

clubhouse. Upon entering the clubhouse, Levi visited with Padres manager Andy Green

and signed his one-day contract before meeting his favorite players and joining the team

on the field prior to batting practice.

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Levi took some swings at home plate, ran the bases, even sliding into second base,

before rounding third base and headed home. Levi’s run was one of the most memorable

of the season for the Padres. Prior to the first pitch, Levi delivered the game ball to the

mound, then high-fived Eric Hosmer before heading into the stands to watch the game.

When asked who his favorite player was, Levi said “Hunter Renfroe!”

Renfroe gave Levi a bat before the game, which Levi said was “really cool.”

Manager Andy Green said it was really fun having Levi around.

"It was fun for us, he knows everyone’s number, knows how many home runs they’ve hit,

he loves the Padres," he said.