Rivas' long-awaited MLB debut 'emotional'

Back in 2017, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Webster Rivas were teammates with the Fort Wayne TinCaps.

One was an 18-year-old making a pit stop in what was then the Class A Midwest League on his way to baseball superstardom. The other was 26 -- nearly five years over the average age for the league -- and on his third organization. The Majors appeared further away for him than Cooperstown did for the teenager.

Through perseverance and determination, however, Rivas once again is teammates with that wunderkind Tatis, this time with the Padres. When he got word he was joining the big league club, he didn’t hide how much it meant to him.

“I started crying,” Rivas said on Saturday, via interpreter David Longley. “It’s an emotion that’s tough to put into words. I called my mom, and she started crying. It was emotional. Again, it’s tough to put into words, but I definitely had butterflies in my stomach.”

Now 30, Rivas can forever say he’s a Major League player. The catcher made his debut Friday night in the Padres’ 10-3 victory in 11 innings at Houston. He went 0-for-3 with a walk and threw out the speedy Myles Straw attempting to steal.

Rivas’ first at-bat was memorable, and not just because it was the first. He smoked a 106.2 mph liner on an 0-1 sinker from Framber Valdez. The smash deflected off the glove of shortstop Carlos Correa and into short left field as Rivas reached first base. Rivas’ new big league teammates reacted with disappointment when the play was ruled an error instead of his first Major League hit.

“I got to first, and I was pretty happy,” Rivas said. “I thought it was a hit. … But there’s a game to play. It was my first at-bat and I was disappointed, but I had to not lose my concentration and get back to the game after that.”

Rivas’ big league stay might be a short one. He’s backing up Victor Caratini while Austin Nola recuperates from a left knee sprain. But even one day in the big leagues is validation for the years of grinding in the Minor Leagues.

Rivas signed his first pro contract with the Dodgers out of the Dominican Republic at age 19 in 2010. He spent six seasons in the Dodgers’ organization but played only 14 games above the High-A level. He signed with the Angels as a Minor League free agent and spent one year in that organization before coming to the Padres as a Minor League free agent.

A backup catcher most of his career, Rivas has yet to crack 100 games in a single season. Over 560 Minor League games, he has a slash line of .260/.321/.362 and 24 home runs. “It’s no secret -- the number of years I put in the Minor Leagues,” Rivas said. “It can sound tiring or overdone, but I’m just going to just keep pushing forward, going to the gym, doing all those things.”

Despite their age difference -- perhaps because of it -- Rivas and Tatis forged a friendship. Rivas had the mentor role back in Fort Wayne. Now, he’s relying on Tatis to help him with the ways of big league life.

“I ask him questions; he asks me questions,” Rivas said. “We’ve been there for each other. He obviously has so much talent and has turned into he player he is, so I have a lot of questions for him. It’s a really great relationship, and he’s one of my closest friends.”

Hosmer back at first base

Eric Hosmer was back in the starting lineup after being hit by a pitch Friday on his right arm, just above the elbow. X-rays were negative. Hosmer departed Friday’s game in the second inning, giving him plenty of time to ice the arm and keep the swelling down enough for him to get the green light Saturday.