This is the Fernando Tatis Jr. we all knew was in there.
Doubts had crept into the minds of San Diego Padres fans about whether Tatis could reclaim the player we first experienced, before injuries and a suspension for using a banned substance.
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The start of the 2026 season did not bring much optimism for the success of the player who views himself as one of the best players in the game. Tatis struggled at the beginning of the year, not only by not hitting well but also by lacking extra-base power. For the first five weeks of the season, Tatis had four doubles, no triples, and no homers among his 28 hits.
The month of May began the same way, but as the month wore on, the bat began to heat up. By the end of May, his average was improving, and he had a triple and a homer added to his numbers.
Baseball fans began to see Tatis drive the ball more regularly as the summer warmed up. We also saw his ability to pull the ball over the wall was increasing. By the July All-Star break, his average had climbed, with extra-base hits a quarter of his total hits. He still only had five home runs, but his doubles total was up to 19.
Since then, the adjustments Tatis has needed have been made. His defense has always been there; he has won two Platinum Gloves in right field. With the injury to Jake Cronenworth, the organization even called on him to fill in at second base. A role he filled well and seemed to enjoy.
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His baserunning is aggressive, and despite some ill-advised choices at times, the excitement is always there. Even the matrix moves he makes at home plate, trying to avoid the high and inside pitches, bring gasps from fans.
There is no doubt about the talent; the consistency has been the issue.
MLB Network analysis
Mark DeRosa of MLB Network highlighted the adjustments made as the season has gone on. Using the first home run in May as the dividing line, the first 50 games of the season yielded a .238 average, a .319 OBP, a .276 slugging percentage, and an fWAR of 0.0 with no home runs.
Since that date, over 75 games leading to Aug. 20, his average is .306 with 15 home runs, a .374 OBP, a .528 slug and a 3.2 fWAR.
The stroke has returned
Over his past 30 games, Tatis has 10 home runs and has accumulated a 1.008 OPS, best in MLB.
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The longest home run distance in MLB this season is 474 feet, hit by Tatis on July 21 versus the Atlanta Braves. He has four homers over 450 feet this season, which is tops in the league.
He robs them too
The game that best shows how important a fully effective Tatis is to the Friars was played on Aug. 18, versus the New York Mets. The game that prompted MLB Network to sing his praises. The catch over the right field wall to rob Francisco Lindor of a grand slam might have been his best. It certainly was the most dramatic.
It’s not a coincidence that the Padres offense has heated up at the same time Tatis has turned it on.
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In May, the Padres’ offense had the worst batting average in baseball. In June, they had improved to No. 22 in the league. For July, the Padres offense was top five in all batting averages and was seventh in home runs.
Of course, it wasn’t all Tatis making the difference, but his improvement seems to have spearheaded the turnaround. As has been noted before, the Padres have always believed that the team would go as Manny Machado goes. That sentiment is just not relevant this season.
Machado continues to hit home runs, driving in a team-leading 72 runs along with his 24 homers. But his average continues to hover around .200 with a .715 OPS. Multiple players have a better OPS, and Luis Campusano leads the team with a .904.
We could be witnessing a transition of dominance, with the Padres’ new owners taking over the franchise, and Tatis taking the forefront on the field.
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Tatis and Jackson Merrill are the future for this team. Tatis has shown his dedication to the organization by signing a long-term contract early in his career here. That alone has shown Padres fans that Tatis is the player we need to watch as the standard-bearer going forward.
Consistency is the key for Tatis. His talent is off the charts. The future of the squad rests on Tatis’ ability to maintain what he knows he can do.