Tatis charges into playoffs: 'Just passion'
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SAN DIEGO -- Welcome to postseason baseball, where each pitch is treated with urgency, where the victory celebrations are never muted, where the play on the field lets you know the stakes are ridiculously high.
In other words, the way Fernando Tatis Jr. has always played baseball.
Tatis has never taken part in a Major League postseason, though that will change Wednesday when the Padres host the Cardinals in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series. But the budding superstar has watched enough playoff ball to know that he likes what he sees.
| Game | Date | Matchup | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gm 1 | Sept. 30 | STL 7, SD 4 | Watch |
| Gm 2 | Oct. 1 | SD 11, STL 9 | Watch |
| Gm 3 | Oct. 2 | SD 4, STL 0 | Watch |
Shop for postseason gear: "I just like the energy that everybody has in the postseason game," Tatis said. "Everybody should bring a little bit more to the postseason, and I feel like baseball -- playing it that way -- that is the right way to play this game. It's just passion. I just can't wait to get there and play."
The sport can't wait to have him on its biggest stage, either. Tatis, one of baseball's brightest stars, is a five-tool shortstop capable of making a massive impact at the plate, at shortstop and on the bases. He does so with an indelible mix of swagger and exhilaration.
Tatis is coming off a brilliant second season that should have him in the conversation for the NL MVP Award. He posted a .277/.366/.571 slash line with 17 home runs, trailing only Atlanta's Marcell Ozuna in the NL.
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On top of that production at the plate, Tatis stole 11 bases and finished the year with seven outs above average on defense, according to Statcast. That ties him with Nolan Arenado and Jackie Bradley Jr. for tops among all big league defenders. It’s a truly unique a skill set.
"It played very well in the regular season, and I think it's going to play really well in the postseason," Padres outfielder Wil Myers said. "He's an extremely dynamic player. Everybody's seen it that watches the ballgames.
"For us to have somebody like that, that's that dynamic, especially in the postseason, I think it could be a great spark plug for us and really kick-start the offense."
Tatis should get that chance right away. The Padres have used him as their leadoff man against left-handed pitching (dropping him to No. 2 with Trent Grisham at the top against righties). The Cardinals -- the team his father played for when Tatis Jr. was born in January 1999 -- will open the series with lefty Kwang Hyun Kim.
Tatis enters the postseason coming off a huge weekend in San Francisco. He needed it. Tatis was the presumptive MVP favorite through three-quarters of the season but slumped near the end. In the two-week stretch from Sept. 9-23, Tatis batted .146/.200/.171 without a home run.
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The Padres didn't have much to play for during that stretch, having solidified their postseason spot. But they resolved to treat their series in San Francisco with a bit of urgency.
Tatis went deep twice, helping eliminate the Giants from postseason contention. But when he walked in the fifth inning on Sunday afternoon, manager Jayce Tingler called for a pinch-runner. Tatis' day -- and his brilliant regular season -- was over.
As Tatis reached the top step of the dugout, he was greeted with an embrace from Tingler and a few words in his ear. Tatis had done his part to get the Padres back to the postseason for the first time in 14 years. It was time to get him off his feet and start preparing him to take the stage he belongs on.
"It's a new adventure," Tatis said. "It's a brand-new story for me. ... I'm just here to do what I know how to do -- have fun."