San Diego Padres relief pitcher Daniel Camarena had one of the most memorable first career hits on Thursday.

Camarena was at the plate in his second plate appearance against the Washington Nationals in the bottom of the fourth inning, his team down 8-2. With the bases loaded, Camarena stared down Nationals’ star pitcher Max Scherzer. Any batter in the situation would feel immense pressure with the bases loaded against a three-time Cy Young award winner. However, Camarena surprised many and delighted fans when he hit a grand slam off Scherzer.

Camarena’s first career hit was a grand slam. “Oh my God, I blacked out,” the rookie said of his home run. “I hit first base, and then all of a sudden I noticed the lights were flashing in the stadium, and that’s when it kind of hit, like, Oh my God I just hit a home run. Not only that, a grand slam.”

He became the second pitcher in MLB history whose first hit was a grand slam. Camarena was the first relief pitcher to hit a grand slam since Don Robinson did it for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1985. Camarena is the first Padre to produce a grand slam with his first hit.

“Down 8-0 to Max Scherzer, and our ace goes out of the game,” Padres manager Jayce Tingler said. “We get a grand slam from a pitcher just called up today, probably at the top. It’s special, and that’s why I’m confident we’re going to do special things. Just because of the way we fight and we don’t lay down, we just keep going.”

The grand slam allowed the Padres to close the gap. San Diego eventually completed the comeback, winning 9-8.

San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. has tested positive for coronavirus. The shortstop will be placed on the injured list along with infielder Jurickson Profar and outfielder Jorge Mateo due to health and safety protocols.

The team announced it on Tuesday evening. “Due to health and safety protocols, the Padres placed SS Fernando Tatis Jr. and INF/OFs Jurickson Profar and Jorge Mateo on the injured list today,” the statement read.

Padres general manager Jayce Tingler told reporters that Tatis was crushed after testing positive because he wanted to play on Tuesday. “Mentally, he’s crushed,” Tingler said of Tatis. “He wants to be here with the guys, he wants to play, he wants to be a part of it.”

The team is not at the 85% threshold of vaccinations that would allow for looser restrictions around their team. “We’re a couple of players away from getting there,” Tingler said. “Will we get there? I don’t know at the end of the day. I think we’re optimistic. We’re just a couple of guys short. The one thing with the protocols and things like that — it’s a clear competitive advantage to get to that 85%. Our guys are educated — we’re educating them on it. That’s where we are.”

Tatis is currently batting .240 with 23 hits, 14 RBI’s and nine home runs. Tatis leads the team with his nine long balls.

Profar is batting .234 in 107 at-bats, and Mateo is batting .250 in 36 plate appearances.

San Diego Padres superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. suffered another injury to his left shoulder on a hard swing during Monday night’s loss to the San Francisco Giants. After leaving the game, the Padres announced that the 22-year old suffered a shoulder subluxation or partial dislocation of the joint. He underwent an MRI on Tuesday.

Tatis has been placed on the 10-day injured list but will not require surgery. General manager A.J. Preller said Tuesday that further exams showed a slight labrum tear consistent with a subluxation. He said the injury is “nonsurgical.”

Padres manager Jayce Tingler told reporters that Tatis had experienced dislocations in the past, but he had never seen Tatis in as much pain as he was in on Monday. During Monday’s game. Tatis fell to the ground in pain after swinging and missing on a 2-2 pitch from Giants’ starter Anthony DeSclafani in the third inning. Tatis walked off the field with assistance from Tingler and a trainer.

Tingler said he believes Tatis’ shoulder popped out on the field and was put back in place in the training room. Monday’s incident is not the first that Tatis has had concerning his left shoulder. Back in spring training, Tatis left a game with left shoulder discomfort after making a backhand play. However, he was back on the field two days later. According to manager Tingler, Tatis has dealt with left shoulder issues since his rookie days, and Tatis has publicly said he’s dealt with it since rookie ball.

So far, Tatis has struggled in 2021. Through his first five games, he has hit .167 and committed an atrocious five errors. On February 22, Tatis signed the longest contract in big league history, coming in at 14 years, $340 million. Tingler said rookie Ha-Seong Kim, who replaced Tatis on Monday, will take over at shortstop if Tatis is out long term. Other possibilities include Jake Croneworth, Jorge Mateo and Tucupita Marcano.

The San Diego Padres ended their managerial search on Thursday.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Padres are hiring Jayce Tingler to lead the club.

Tingler, 38, is actively the major league player development field coordinator for the Texas Rangers. He has ties to general manager A.J Preller who was the assistant GM of the Rangers before becoming the Padres GM in 2014.

Tingler replaced Andy Green, who was fired Sept. 21 after going 274-366 with the team since he was hired ahead of the 2016 season. Rod Barajas served as the Padres’ interim manager for the remainder of the season, which marked the team’s 13th straight year without a playoff appearance.

Despite signing superstar Manny Machado in the previous offseason, the Padres finished last in the NL West with a 70-92 record.

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Tingler, a Missouri native, played college ball for the Mizzou Tigers and was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2003 draft. He spent four years in the minors, reaching Double-A before ending his playing career and climbing up the managerial ranks in the Rangers organization. He’s managed in the Dominican summer league, worked in the Rangers’ minor league system, and spent time as an assistant GM. He is currently managing the Dominican winter league team to a 9-1 record.

Tingler is respected and known for his work ethic and game knowledge. He is also bilingual as he is a native Spanish speaker, which should be an important skill for him on a Padres organization filled with international prospects.

Former Rangers manager Ron Washington and former Padres player Mark Loretta were also in the running to replace Green. The Padres hope Tingler can be the change the managerial organization needs as the talent pool increases in San Diego.