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Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. finally hits first home run of 2026
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- Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. finally hits first home run of 2026
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A dry spell no more! San Diego Padres star right fielder and second baseman Fernando Tatis Jr. unloaded some extremely heavy baggage in Saturday's road game against the Washington Nationals . He waited for more than 200 at-bats, but Tatis finally notched his first home run of the 2026 season.
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The two-time Silver Slugger Award winner made up for lost time by blasting a 451-foot bomb to left field in the fifth inning, extending the Friars' lead to 3-1. Padres play-by-play man Don Orsillo perfectly described the joy and relief that Tatis and the entire fan base are surely feeling after this drought-ending-dinger. No. 23 can exhale, at long last.
Despite a solid 32-24 start to the campaign, San Diego currently has one of the least productive offenses in baseball. Manny Machado and Tatis have confounded people for the last two months, but they both sent the ball over the fence in Nationals Park. In this sport, one swing can give way to a full-blown eruption, especially when a player has an established track record of success. Tatis can only hope that this long-awaited homer frees him up at the plate.
The 27-year-old Dominican's inconsistent power has garnered plenty of attention over the years. It goes without saying that he has not been the same hitter since getting suspended 80 games in 2022 for using a performance-enhancing substance. Tatis has gone yard a respectable 71 times across the last three seasons, to be clear, but he has not even come close to reaching 40 again.
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While there will always be a black mark on his résumé, the three-time All-Star and two-time Platinum Glove recipient can still post impressive numbers. When he is on point, the Padres' ceiling rises to another level.
Fernando Tatis Jr. should sleep much easier on Saturday night.
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