Samad Taylor’s first start for the Padres against the Mets turned into a reunion moment for his family—especially his grandmother, Sheila Marshall—after a long wait. Despite a 7-3 loss to New York in the series finale, Taylor stood out with three standout play
SAN DIEGO — The phone call came, and Samad Taylor’s mind went straight to the one seat he wanted filled.
“I got the call, and the first thing I thought was: Man, my grandma can come see me play,” Taylor recalled.
Taylor grew up in Corona. Calif. and while he’d spent parts of three previous seasons in the big leagues with the Royals and Mariners. his career had never taken him to Southern California. So when the Padres promoted him last week. the chance to finally play in front of family landed as more than a baseball milestone.
His grandmother, Sheila Marshall, had never seen him play in the majors.
Earlier this week, Taylor got a heads-up from manager Craig Stammen that he was likely to start Sunday, with left-hander Sean Manaea slated to pitch for the Mets. The plan formed quickly: the family would make the drive to Petco Park for Taylor’s first start with San Diego.
It happened on a day the Padres couldn’t turn into a win. San Diego dropped its series finale against New York, 7-3. Still, Taylor became the standout. In left field. he made three excellent plays: twice he backtracked to the warning track to make a catch. then he slid into foul territory to rob Brett Baty in the sixth.
At the plate. Taylor singled and walked twice in four plate appearances—small numbers in isolation. but a jolt for a Padres team that has struggled mightily on offense. His production came in front of about a dozen close friends and family. the kind of crowd he’d been waiting to play for “a long. long time.”.
“The last time they’d seen me play, I was probably 11-12 years old,” Taylor said. “So today was a big one. Today was a blessing.”
Taylor described how his grandmother had been a steady presence in his life, often hosting family parties and gatherings. Baseball obligations had pulled him away from those events in recent years. On Sunday. he didn’t just play at Petco Park—he watched his family gather around him. turning his first major-league start in California into something closer to a reunion.
There may be more of that kind of attention if Taylor keeps delivering. The Padres are actively searching for answers in left field. and the depth issue at the bottom of their lineup is hard to ignore. The need is partly shaped by what’s happening elsewhere around the team: Nick Castellanos was released on Friday. and Ramón Laureano underwent hip surgery that might end his season.
Stammen framed Taylor’s performance in practical terms, pointing to exactly what the Padres were hoping to get when they brought some players up.
“He had a great game,” Stammen said. “… That’s what we were hoping for when we brought some of these guys up. They got that speed element to their game where they can play some D, create havoc throughout the game. Samad did that today. Definitely a good sign for us moving forward for the bottom of our lineup.”.
A long-term plan in left field may not be certain for Taylor, but his value could be. He’s seen a path as a versatile bench option—someone who can cover both middle infield spots and all three outfield positions.
Taylor sounded determined about whatever role comes next. “Any way I can help the team win. put the team in a situation to come out on top. that’s what I’m going to do. ” he said. “I’m going to play hard-nosed baseball. I’m going to grind, as we seen today, grinding at-bats. I’m just going to keep playing hard. When my name’s called on, just gotta come through, make sure I’m ready.”.
On a day when the Padres fell short in the standings, Taylor still did something that landed beyond the stat line—he gave the people who have waited years to see him play a moment they won’t forget.
Samad Taylor Padres Petco Park Sheila Marshall Sean Manaea Craig Stammen Brett Baty Nick Castellanos Ramón Laureano Mets