Skip to content

Padres co-owner: Hosmer a 'more natural' leader than Myers

Russell Lansford / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The San Diego Padres introduced the team's new first baseman, Eric Hosmer, to their fans on Tuesday, and co-owner Ron Fowler believes his clubhouse presence will help the team - and, more specifically, the incumbent star of the team, Wil Myers.

"Myers has a lot of great qualities," Fowler said during the press conference. "But he frankly does not want to be the leader in the clubhouse. That's just not in his DNA.

"Eric will protect (Myers) in the lineup, first of all. And he'll take more of a leadership position, which is more natural for him in the clubhouse than it was for Myers."

The Padres' signing of Hosmer relegates Myers to the outfield - where he spent the majority of his first three seasons before switching full time to first base in 2016.

During Hosmer's seven-year tenure with the Kansas City Royals, his club made it to back-to-back World Series appearances, and won the championship in 2015.

Meanwhile, Myers has been a member of the Padres for three seasons since getting traded from the Tampa Bay Rays. Over those three years, Myers has posted a .252/.333/.457 slash line with 66 home runs and 53 stolen bases in 372 games. Since acquiring Myers, the Padres have gone 213-273, finishing no higher than fourth in the division.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox