San Diego Padres phenom Fernando Tatis Jr. is on pace for 65 home runs.
Yesterday, I wrote about the Los Angeles Dodgers and the possibility of them breaking the all-time wins record, if not for the pandemic shortened season. Today, we explore yet another incredible feat; this one of the individual player variety. I’m not talking about some run of the mill player either, I’m talking San Diego Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr.
Last week, Tatis took the baseball world by storm after swinging at a 3-0 meatball down the middle for a grand slam in a game in which his team was leading by seven runs. This prompted a much-needed conversation about baseball’s antiquated unwritten rules.
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For the most part, fans agree: these rules no longer have a place in baseball. As MLB’s own slogan goes, just “let the kid’s play.”
Well, today we write about Tatis once again. This time to highlight one of his major accomplishments this season.
Currently, “El Niño” leads baseball with 12 HR and 29 RBI, which in a regular 162-game season would put him on pace for 65 HR and 157 RBI. 65 homers would be most by a player since Barry Bonds‘ record-breaking 73 HR season back in 2001. 156 RBI would be the most by a hitter since 2001 when Sammy Sosa drove in 160 runs.
To put this in perspective, according to Stathead only two players in the history of the game have hit 60 or more home runs while driving in 150 or more runs in a single season: Sammy Sosa and Babe Ruth. Sosa did it twice in 1998 and 2001, while Ruth accomplished the feat back in 1927.
Now, this isn’t to say that Fernando Tatis Jr. was without a doubt going to accomplish this feat, but it’s one of the many what-ifs that exist in a season shortened by a pandemic. For now, all we can do is enjoy the talent before us in Tatis. The game is in great hands.