SAN FRANCISCO -- As the lone Mexican-born player on either roster this weekend, Christian Villanueva was always going to be greeted warmly when he arrived home for the upcoming three-game weekend series between the Padres and Dodgers at Estadio de Beisbol in Monterrey, Mexico.
It certainly won't hurt that Villanueva will touch down on Thursday as the National League's Rookie of the Month Award winner for April.
Villanueva burst onto the scene last month, putting his immense power on full display. On Wednesday, he was justly rewarded by being named the Padres' first NL Rookie of the Month since Ryan Schimpf in July 2016.