The Padres didn’t need long to get Ethan Salas to the next level, and they didn’t waste time making sure he knew why he was there.
San Diego’s top prospect moved up to Triple-A toward the end of July after continuing to hit at Double-A. In just 24 games there, he put up a .326 batting average and did enough to earn the call when rosters expanded on Sept.
- Even after an 0-for-14 start with five strikeouts across his first six MLB games, Salas finally broke through Sunday with a triple for his first major league hit.
That made him the first and youngest player to do it since Manny Machado in 2012, when Machado was 106 days younger.
After the game, Salas said it felt “like a breath of fresh air,” adding, “I’m happy to get the first out of the way.”
Manager Craig Stammen made sure the message stayed clear: the Padres view this as something Salas earned, not something handed to him.
“One thing we kept telling him that he earned this promotion,” Stammen said. “It wasn't like we just gave it to him because he's the top prospect and all that, he earned it. He played his way to have this opportunity to play in the big leagues, and you know it was a good feeling for everybody when that ball fell in.”
Machado echoed that sentiment and said Salas looked more comfortable once the hit finally came.
“To finally see him get it, he can breathe now,” Machado said. “He can relax and play his game.
I think he's a big part of this organization, and he's been playing some really good baseball for us every time he goes out there and catches and having good at-bats as well. So I think he's going to be a big, big part of us.”
Machado was also surprised when told his own first hit comparison lined up with Salas’ moment.
“Really? Oh, I didn’t even know that,” Machado said.
“I thought I was just talking [crap], but I wasn’t, I guess. It’s hard to get to the big leagues when you’re 20, and it’s hard to get a triple.
I don’t have many triples.”
Machado has 17 triples since that first one over the next 15 years. Whether Salas ever catches him there is beside the point for now. The Padres are clearly banking on the rookie’s bat continuing to play the way it did in the minors.
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