HOSMER JOINS PADRES, WEARS NUMBER OF LATE TEAMMATE VENTURA

Eric Hosmer has joined the San Diego Padres and will wear a jersey number to honour late Kansas City teammate Yordano Ventura. Hosmer and the Padres completed their US$144-million, eight-year contract Monday. The first baseman will wear No. 30 in honour of Ventura, a pitcher who died in an auto accident in the Dominican Republic last year. Hosmer asked Padres third base coach Glenn Hoffman for the number. “It really meant a lot to me, and ‘ Hoff ’ was more than open to letting me carry on the number,” Hosmer said Tuesday. “I’ ll wear it with pride each and every day.”