SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 4: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting a walk-off single against the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park on September 4, 2024, in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)
Fernando Tatis Jr.’s talent is undeniable.
He was an MVP finalist and a video-game cover model at the age of 22.
The biggest problem he’s had is being on the field to showcase all that God-given ability. A myriad of injuries and a performance-enhancing drug suspension have caused him to miss 261 games since his rookie year in 2019. Last season he sat out 60 games, mostly due to a stress reaction in his thigh.
If Tatis can just stay healthy, he’s a game wrecker, a taste of which we got in the playoffs when he had an absurd 1.291 OPS in seven postseason games.
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MR. OCTOBER pic.twitter.com/2o21woN8fv
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 9, 2024
Well, I’m happy to report, Fernando Tatis Jr. says he’s healthy.
“I haven’t felt this good since the offseason of 2020, coming to 2021,” said Tatis, referring to the 2021 season, after which he finished third in the MVP balloting after smashing 42 home runs in 130 games. “Feels great. My body's in a great spot, and my swing is in an amazing spot. Definitely looking forward to what this year is going to be.”
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If he can stay that way for a full campaign … what is he capable of, exactly?
“You know, all the respect to all the big league talent that is that is out there, and I definitely acknowledge them,” Tatis said, “but when I'm 100% and my head is in the right spot, I feel like I'm second to no one on the baseball field.”
That‘s not meant to be bulletin board material. That’s a supremely talented ballplayer giving a nod of respect to the greats of the game and saying they motivate him to surpass them.
“Players, they’re so good right now at this time of the baseball era, it only makes you want to be better and get better,” Tatis said. “So, I'm definitely on that road and looking forward to be the best version of myself out there.”
That last part might be the most encouraging sign for the Friar Faithful because Tatis is not just talking about being the best version of himself on the field — it goes well beyond the diamond.
Since that 2021 season, Tatis has gone through a lot, and, frankly, much of it was self-inflicted. He broke his wrist in a motorbike accident and had to sit 80 games for using a banned substance. He said all those experiences have taught him some valuable life lessons.
“You just grow," Tatis said. "I’m definitely more mature. You know, turning into a man, and growing pains, is different for people. You learn different ways, and, in my case, I feel like everybody, almost, has seen it. It's to the public. Just embracing every single battle, you know? I mean, what I've been through, I feel like it has made me [who I am] today. I feel like I just keep evolving and just keep getting better as a human being, and just keep getting better as a baseball player. I know what I'm capable of. I’m still having to show it out there to 100%, so I’m just really looking forward to that.”
In January, Tatis turned 26 years old. While that’s still extremely young for a professional athlete, this will be his seventh year in the MLB spotlight.
Experience is a wonderful teacher. If Tatis continues to be a willing pupil, the sky really is the limit.
