Hosmer gifts Rolex to Padres coach for allowing him to wear No. 30

Eric Hosmer, San Diego's new $144-million man, recognizes an act of kindness when he sees one.

The Padres first baseman was so grateful that longtime third base coach Glenn Hoffman switched his number - allowing Hosmer to wear No. 30 this season - that he gifted him a Rolex when he arrived at spring training.

"Like I said to Hoffy, it was extremely meaningful for me," Hosmer told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. "So I wanted to get a nice gesture for him. It's an unwritten rule throughout the league that if a veteran guy comes and asks for a number and somebody has it, you do something like that for him.''

Once Hosmer found out his usual No. 35 was retired by the Padres, the 28-year-old admitted he wanted to make the switch this season to honor close friend and former teammate Yordano Ventura, who died in a car accident in early 2017.

"I spoke to (coach) Hoffman yesterday, and I know he wears No. 30 and basically told him it would mean a lot to me if I can wear No. 30 and continue Yordano's legacy," Hosmer told Daniel Kramer of MLB.com last Tuesday.

"It really meant a lot to me and Hoff was more than open of letting me carry on that number. And like I told him, I'll wear it with pride each and every day and it's something that myself and the core guys with Kansas City want to continue to make sure that Yordano's legacy is lived out."