SAN FRANCISCO — Fernando Tatis Jr. has owned the top of the Padres lineup for nearly his entire explosive career. So when he slotted into the fifth spot Tuesday night against the Giants at Oracle Park, it sent shockwaves through the baseball world — the lowest position he’s hit since his 2019 rookie season.
Tatis knew it was coming. He’s trapped in one of the ugliest slumps of his young career, and he’s painfully aware of it. The 27-year-old superstar is posting a dismal career-low .625 OPS through 33 games. Zero home runs in 143 plate appearances — the longest drought he’s ever endured.
“I just know baseball,” Tatis said calmly. “I know how baseball works.”
He brushed off questions about the demotion, insisting it means nothing. “Think nothing. I’m here to play baseball. That’s what I’m trying to do. I’m just another baseball player.”
But this is no ordinary player. A three-time All-Star with MVP votes in four seasons, Tatis has been a Padres force — until now. His strikeout rate has jumped to 25.2%, his pull rate has cratered, and he’s pounding the ball into the ground at a career-high rate despite crushing it hard when he makes contact.
Manager Craig Stammen made the bold call to “switch it up a little bit” across the entire lineup. “With Tati, just taking a little bit of pressure off him at the plate,” Stammen explained. “Hopefully he can work on a few things and not feel like he has to get the job done every single time.”
Stammen talked it over with Tatis beforehand, and the superstar’s response? Total pro. “The best thing about Fernando is he doesn’t really care,” Stammen said. “He just wants to play baseball. He knows he can impact the game from any spot in the lineup.”
The bigger picture is grim for San Diego. The Padres rank near the bottom of MLB in runs, homers, and OPS. Tatis’ struggles have been the loudest alarm bell. He’s grinding in the cage daily, experimenting with adjustments, but consistency has vanished. “The game is alive,” Tatis said. “You’ve got to keep adapting. You’ve got to keep getting better.”
Stammen remains confident the superstar will break out. “He’s working every day. I trust that his ability is eventually going to come through and he’ll be just fine.”
Now the drama builds: Can dropping Tatis light a fire under the Padres’ superstar and spark a massive turnaround? Or is this the beginning of deeper trouble in San Diego? Baseball fans are glued to every at-bat.