Fernando Tatis Jr. Hits First Home Run of the Season

After a lengthy two-month wait, Fernando Tatis Jr. has made his comeback by hitting his first home run of the season.

It happened in the fifth inning during the Padres’ 9-4 defeat to the Nationals. Tatis launched a solo home run that traveled an impressive 451 feet into the left-field stands at Nationals Park, breaking a streak of missed homers that extended back to last season.

Leading up to Saturday’s game, Padres outfielders hadn’t recorded a home run in 240 at-bats, marking the longest such streak in Major League Baseball.

“I knew right away,” Tatis shared with reporters after the game. “It’s time.”

After his homer, he flipped his bat and, upon reaching third base, was met with an enthusiastic reception from his teammates.

“It was thrilling for everyone,” stated Padres manager Craig Stammen. “He has carried this burden. The team has shared that weight.”

Tatis hadn’t hit a home run since September 27 against Arizona. “I think I’ll sleep a bit better knowing he finally has a ‘1’ in his number,” commented San Diego shortstop Xander Bogaerts. He added, “There’s a lot happening in his career, but this moment feels different. Everyone knows the stakes here.”

“Everyone is aware he’s been held scoreless, so this really lifts some pressure off his shoulders,” Bogaerts noted.

Despite Tatis’ significant moment, the Padres faltered by giving up six runs in the seventh inning, marking their 25th loss of the season.

“There’s no time to relax,” Tatis emphasized. “This game knows how to keep you grounded.”

His performance was somewhat overshadowed; even with a batting average of .268 before Saturday, Tatis had only managed a .307 slugging percentage across 55 games this season.