Fernando Tatis Jr. Is Showing Signs of Life at the Perfect Time
The San Diego Padres may finally be getting their superstar back at the perfect time.
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Fernando Tatis Jr.’s slump quickly became one of the biggest storylines of the season.
In his first 55 games of the year, he was slashing an underwhelming .268/.345/.307 with seven extra-base hits and 17 RBI.
What made Tatis’ struggles so perplexing was how consistently he was crushing the baseball. He ranked among the leaders in hard-hit rate and average exit velocity during this span, yet the production never followed.
However, all exit velocities aren’t created equal.
Every at-bat seemed to end the same way: a baseball scorched into the ground or driven to the opposite field. The quality of contact was there, but the launch and direction weren’t.
Coupled with the lack of production was the discussion surrounding Tatis’ mechanics. It seemed like everyone on the internet had a different explanation for his struggles. Whether it was his hand placement, load, stance, timing mechanism, or point of contact, there was no shortage of guesses.
As the weeks went on, it truly began to feel as if Tatis was going to remain homerless before the All-Star break.
Finally, on May 30, Tatis turned on a Foster Griffin fastball and blasted it 451 feet for his first home run of the season. After a league-leading 240 plate appearances without a home run, the weight was finally off Tatis’ shoulders.
Stats were taken prior to play on June 15.
Turning a Corner
In 12 games in June, Tatis is slashing .346/.375/.481.
Now, that’s more like it.
And all of the encouraging signs from his slump — hard-hit rate, exit velocities, and barrels — have remained intact. He has an average exit velocity of 93.3 mph, 55.8% hard-hit rate, and a 10.7% barrel rate in June.
So what’s changed?
The answer: Launch angle.
According to Baseball Savant, he went from have a neutral average launch angle in May to 12 degrees in June. This has been the missing piece for Tatis.
He has always possessed the ability to hit the ball hard. All that was needed to happen was for him to elevate and allow those exit velocities to translate.
The results have already started to show up in big moments.
On June 10 against the Reds, Tatis delivered what may end up being his signature moment of the first half, lining a walk-off home run in the ninth inning.
Mechanical Changes
The most noticeable adjustment that Tatis has made is his stance in the box.
Earlier in the season, he utilized a more closed-off stance with his feet closer together. In recent weeks, he has opened his stance back up and reintroduced a larger leg kick for his timing mechanism.
The changes may seem subtle, but they have made a massive impact on how he moves through his swing.
While those changes are contributing to his success, the way he initiates his swing is the biggest needle mover.
Early in the season, Tatis began his load by closing off his front side with his left shoulder. While that helped create tension in his upper half, it left him restricted and disconnected from his lower half.
This is likely the root cause of all the ground balls, lack of launch, and inability to pull the ball.
He has now transitioned to loading by starting it from the ground up. He is now coiling with his back hip first, allowing him to hold tension in his lower half while traveling forward, then letting the energy flow from the ground into his hands once his front foot hits the ground.
This is now a much more athletic-looking Tatis in the box, which is exactly what the San Diego Padres need moving forward.
Final Thoughts
This uptick in production should be a relief for Padres fans.
Tatis looks like himself again, playing the game the way he is meant to. Flying around the field, impacting games on the bases, and creating electricity every time he steps onto the diamond.
Despite the slow start at the plate, he still has a chance to finish as one of the more productive players in baseball.
He continues to grade out as one of the sport’s elite defenders, recording +8 outs above average while ranking in the 96th percentile in arm strength. He is also on pace to set a career high in stolen bases.
His home run against the Nationals may ultimately be remembered as the moment everything began to click. Not because of the hit itself, but because it represented the version of Tatis the Padres have been waiting to see all season.
There is still plenty of time for him to make up the ground he lost during the first two months.
And if the changes he has made at the plate continue to hold, the Padres may finally be getting their superstar back at the perfect time.
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Written by
Ethan is an aspiring sports analyst who has a passion for all sports. He was a collegiate baseball player and is now finishing up his schooling…