Fernando Tatis Jr. is ready to make his first Opening Day look for the Padres since 2021. He missed all of 2022 on account of a motorbike accident within the Dominican Republic that left him with a fractured wrist and an 80-game PED suspension. In 2023 he missed the primary 20 video games due to that very same suspension. After a median return, many followers have been left questioning if he can return to MVP type.
Tatis first reached that MVP stage in 2021. He was simply 22 years-old slashing .282/.364/.611 with 135 hits, 42 dwelling runs (led Nationwide League), 97 runs batted in, 99 runs scored and a 7.3 offensive WAR (led main leagues). He additionally made his first All-Star look, received his second Silver Slugger award and completed third in MVP voting.
Between that closing sport in 2021 (Oct. 3) and his return on April 20, 2023, it had been 564 days since Tatis performed in a regular-season sport. Gamers can apply all they need however there isn’t any solution to simulate what an actual sport looks like, which led many to imagine he’d be a bit rusty. These speculations got here to fruition with fairly common offensive manufacturing.
He completed 2023 taking part in in 141 video games with profession lows in batting common (.257), on-base share (.322) and slugging share. He additionally tied for his worst offensive WAR (2.8) for the reason that pandemic-shortened 2020 season when he performed in solely 59 video games. Thankfully after switching from shortstop to proper discipline he noticed a significant increase in defensive manufacturing. In any other case thought-about a median defender at shortstop, he received a Gold Glove and Platinum Glove in simply his first season on the new spot.
Typically although the very best gamers aren’t outlined by their defensive efficiency. This present day, offense is king and if a participant leads the league in a significant stat similar to dwelling runs, they are a shoo-in to be among the many MVP dialog. If Tatis can mix the hitting prowess proven in 2021 and his new discovered defensive talent from 2023, he can return to elite standing.
Followers did not have to attend till spring coaching to see him in 2024 as he performed eight video games for the Estrellas Orientales within the Dominican Winter League. Per Baseball Reference, he walked away with a 1.062 on-base plus slugging share and even hit a game-sealing two-run dwelling run within the tenth inning on Jan. 2 which simply so occurred to be on his birthday. Clearly the expertise is not on par with what’s seen in MLB, but when Tatis replicates a few of that electrical energy he’ll be in retailer for an enormous season.
As of now Fangraphs does predict him to have a greater season than in 2023, with a slash line of .273/.346/.526 accompanied by 163 hits, 38 dwelling runs, 105 runs scored and 106 runs batted in. These numbers will not essentially put him atop the league in manufacturing but it surely’s a very good begin for the now 25 year-old.
With 11 years left on his huge 14 12 months $340 million totally assured contract, it is crucial he steps up sooner fairly than later. If he cannot, it solely digs the Padres right into a deeper gap of monetary and personnel hassle that has already been confirmed laborious to get out of.
