It didn’t take long for Brandon Drury to get acclimated with his new team.
Drury was traded to the San Diego Padres from the Cincinnati Reds ahead of Tuesday’s deadline and made his Padres debut last night with the Colorado Rockies in town.
Drury came to the plate with the bases loaded and the Padres ahead 1-0 against Chad Kuhl.
On Kuhl’s first pitch, Drury hit a grand slam, accomplishing the rare feat of hitting a grand slam on the first pitch he saw with his new team.
According to Sarah Langs of MLB.com on Twitter, Drury is just the third player since 1900 to hit a grand slam in his first plate appearance with his new team after being traded mid-season.
Grand slam in 1st PA with a team *after changing teams midseason*, since 1900:
Brandon Drury, Today, Padres
Rip Repulski, 5/10/1960, Red Sox
Fred Smith, 6/8/1915, Tip-Topsh/t @EliasSports
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 4, 2022
Drury Makes History
Drury certainly made a statement in his first at-bat with his new team.
Just one pitch and he hit it out for a grand slam, which set the pace as the Padres blew out the Rockies, 9-1.
Not many players can say they hit a grand slam in their first at-bat with their new team, especially right after being traded mid-season, let alone to do it on the first pitch they saw.
But that’s the kind of season Drury has been having.
The 29-year-old is hitting .275 with 21 homers, 63 RBI, and an .864 OPS.
He’s also now on a very exclusive list of players who have been able to hit grand slams in their first at-bats with a new team.
Not much was expected out of Drury this year, but he turned it on at just the right moment and has been having a tremendous season.
The Padres lineup now features him, Juan Soto, Josh Bell, Manny Machado, and potentially Fernando Tatis Jr. later on this season.
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