MEXICO CITY -- Sure, the Padres have a couple important games looming this weekend against the division rival Diamondbacks in MLB World Tour’s Mexico City Series.
But they’re in town for three days -- and on Friday’s off-day, they took the field, too.
More than 250 kids gathered at the youth baseball fields at the nearby Liga Olmeca for a clinic hosted by about a dozen Padres players, plus a handful of coaches and executives.
“This is a cool day for us and obviously for the kids,” said Padres slugger Gavin Sheets. “This is what it’s all about -- growing baseball. Coming to Mexico City and being a part of this is just as special as the games that we get to play this week.”
The Padres were introduced by Eduardo Ortega, their beloved longtime Spanish-language broadcaster, to raucous cheers from the children, generally ranging from ages 8-14, plus dozens of parents in attendance as well.
Afterward, the kids split up into groups and were put through a series of drills -- interspersed with autograph sessions.
“It’s pretty special,” said infielder Jake Cronenworth. “It’s so cool to see all the kids at different ages, all in love with the game of baseball. And all in love with us, which is awesome. It shows how far the Padres community goes, all the way down in Mexico City.”
Among the instructors, Cronenworth ran the tightest ship, taking part in the drills with the children. Other Padres on hand -- namely third baseman Manny Machado -- spent much of the session mobbed by autograph and photo requests. But Machado found time to run a few ground-ball drills, too.
The Padres, of course, have deep ties to Mexico -- and not merely because of their proximity to the border. This trip marks the fifth time the Friars will have played regular-season games in Mexico and the second in the Mexican Capital.
On each of those occasions, the Padres have made community outreach a priority of theirs.
"We were also kids at one point,” said shortstop Xander Bogaerts. “I would’ve dreamed of having big league guys helping us out like this.”
Game 1 of the Mexico City Series is slated for 6:05 p.m. ET (3:05 p.m. PT) on Saturday at the Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú.