Padres Rookie Reveals Why He's Happy He Hit First Home Run at Dodger Stadium

Jun 20, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres designated hitter Trenton Brooks (41), left, is congratulated by Manny Machado (13) after scoring during the fifth inning against the against the Kansas City Royals at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

San Diego Padres first baseman Trenton Brooks hit his first MLB home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, and said he was glad it happened at Dodger Stadium.

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The 29-year-old rookie got ahold of a fastball in the top of the seventh inning, sending the ball well over the right field fence and into the pavilion. The fan who caught it promptly returned the baseball to the field.

“They threw it back,” Brooks said to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. “Glad I hit it here.”

Brooks made his debut in 2024 with the San Francisco Giants and played 12 games for the Padres' division rivals before he was designated for assignment last June. He managed a .120 batting average in his first spell in the big leagues and spent the remainder of the season with Triple-A Sacramento before electing free agency.

His 12 games didn't disqualify him from rookie eligibility in 2025, as he did not meet the at-bats requirement, not did he spend 45 or more days on the active roster.

The Padres signed him to a minor league deal in the offseason, and he stayed with Triple-A El Paso until his call up June 15. He replaced Jackson Merrill on the active roster, as the center fielder was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list.

Brooks is 2-for-8 with the Padres this season, and both of his hits are for extra bases. All six of his outs came via strikeout.

Bench coach Brian Esposito, who filled in for manager Mike Shildt while he served a one-game suspension for his role in a benches-clearing scuffle against the Dodgers in their series finale, had nothing but praise for the first baseman.

“Trenton had a really good Spring Training,” Espositio said. “He’s a grinder. He gets in there, not afraid to take some swings. He’s got a really good eye at the plate, so he gets himself into some pretty good counts, where he’s able to do some damage when he gets that pitch over the heart of the plate.

“Pretty good showing so far. … It’s good to see what he showed in Spring Training carry over to the Major League level here now.”

The Padres will hope Brooks can cut down on his strikeouts and continue to showcase his power as they look to reclaim the final NL Wild Card spot and return to the postseason.

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