Inside The Padres

3 Padres Reach out to Opposing Player Who Left Game in Tears

Miami Marlins outfielder Ronny Simon (41) scores ahead of the tag of San Diego Padres catcher Elias Díaz (17) during the first inning at Petco Park on May 27.
Miami Marlins outfielder Ronny Simon (41) scores ahead of the tag of San Diego Padres catcher Elias Díaz (17) during the first inning at Petco Park on May 27. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

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The San Diego Padres found themselves trailing 6-0 after one inning Tuesday against the Miami Marlins. By the fifth inning, they led 7-6, thanks in large part to Ronny Simon.

The Marlins' second baseman committed three errors that led to two unearned runs. Another misplay was initially ruled an error but changed to a hit. Simon left the field in tears after four innings, and the Padres hung on to win, 8-6.

An act of sportsmanship after the game did not go unnoticed by Simon. He told reporters, including Sammy Levitt of 97.3-FM, that Padres Manny Machado, Luis Arraez and Fernando Tatis Jr. texted him words of encouragement.

"A lot of people told me that's going to happen ... in the big leagues," Simon said. "Keep your head up, it doesn't matter what happened in the past. Tomorrow is another day."

The Padres wrap up their three-game series with the Marlins on Wednesday, looking to complete a sweep.

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Simon said he previously knew Tatis and Arraez, who began last season with the Marlins. Former Padres infielder Robinson Cano called him, too.

"The only thing I say, 'thank you' for everybody," Simon told reporters.

Naturally, Simon's teammates were there for him too.

"This game is HARD," Marlins infielder Connor Norby wrote on Twitter/X Wednesday. "Nobody cares more than the players. He's a Marlin. Have his back."

Simon, 25, was playing only his 19th major league game. He had committed only one error at second base in his first seven starts at the position before Tuesday.

Simon was slashing .354/.441/.521 at Triple-A Jacksonville before he was promoted. He had comitted only three errors in 95 innings at second base this season with the Marlins' top minor league affiliate.

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In the top of the first inning, Simon drove in one of Miami's six runs against Padres starter Stephen Kolek. The score was 6-2 in the second inning when Tyler Wade hit a ground ball through the right side of the infield that deflected off Simon's glove into foul territory.

When Simon retrieved the baseball and threw wide of home plate, Jake Cronenworth scored too, making it a 6-4 game.

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Simon also helped Machado score in the third inning when he could not field Xander Bogaerts' ground ball to second base cleanly, perhaps because Jackson Merrill was running directly in front of him. Machado rounded third base as the ball skipped into the outfield.

That error allowed the Padres to pull within 6-4. Simon's third error, in the fourth inning, left him visibly upset and covering his face. He was replaced by Javier Sanoja at second base in the fifth inning.

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J.P. Hoornstra
J.P. HOORNSTRA

J.P. Hoornstra is an On SI Contributor. A veteran of 20 years of sports coverage for daily newspapers in California, J.P. covered MLB, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Los Angeles Angels (occasionally of Anaheim) from 2012-23 for the Southern California News Group. His first book, The 50 Greatest Dodgers Games of All-Time, published in 2015. In 2016, he won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for breaking news coverage. He once recorded a keyboard solo on the same album as two of the original Doors.

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