It’s a name not many Padres fans are well aware of. Dusty Coleman is now the club’s starting shortstop, for the time being. With offseason acquisition Erick Aybar now sidelined with a fractured foot, the 30-year-old rookie has his shot.
Coleman started his first game with the Padres in Monday night’s series opener against the Mets, but was hitless. Tuesday, he entered the game late, and collected his first big league hit by delivering an RBI double. For a player whose journey to this moment was so long, the relief and jubilation Coleman must have felt in this moment has to be significant.