MLB Rankings: Greatest Hits in Week-19
9. Eric Hosmer, 37 percent
It was a rough weekend in Los Angeles for the San Diego Padres. On Thursday, Will Smith tapped them for four hits including a home run in an 8-2 Dodger decision. The Padres won 5-2 Friday, but Walker Buehler held them to just one run on five hits in a 4-1 Dodger win Saturday.
Then on Sunday, Max Muncy and Russell Martin roughed up Padres rookie find Chris Paddock with second-inning home runs, providing Kenta Maeda with a quick 3-0 lead. Clearly, something had to be done and veteran Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer appointed himself to do it.
Hosmer’s teammates set the stage. Francisco Mejia opened the third with a double, and one out later Paddock singled Mejia home with San Diego’s first run. Fernando Tatis Jr. fanned, but Greg Garcia singled and Manny Machado drew a walk, loading the bases.
Although it was only the third inning, the situation loomed as potentially pivotal. The bases were full, but there were two out and the Padres trailed by two runs. The combination put their odds of winning at just 31 percent, yet still laden with potential.
Hosmer cashed the potential. On a 2-1 pitch, he lined a grand slam into the right-field bleachers, turning that 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 lead.
With that single swing, the odds of the Padres escaping Los Angeles with a split soared to 68 percent.
It did not, however, work out that way, as will be detailed in a subsequent entry.