San Diego Padres’ Future: Fernando Tatis Jr. in The Outfield
This past homestand was good for the San Diego Padres. They won two series against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Miami Marlins, which maintained their lead over the Cincinnati Reds for the final wild-card position.
But the bigger story was the media reports of Fernando Tatis Jr. working out in the outfield during pregame drills. And the Padres immediate future will look bright once the All-Star returns to the lineup. Hopefully, it moves them closer to their second consecutive postseason appearance.
Return of Tatis Jr. Fortifies a Potent San Diego Padres Offensive Attack
Inserting Tatis Jr. into the lineup fortifies an already potent offense. His offensive talents are well-documented, but the Padres will relish the positional flexibility gained from Tatis Jr.’s move from the infield to the outfield. Suddenly, the Padres have a complete lineup that should put the Friar Faithful more at ease. More importantly, adding Tatis Jr. back into the mix will put pressure on the competition in the battle for a postseason berth.
More Padres. Frustration cannot be allowed to derail season. light
The starting lineup is set with Austin Nola behind the plate, Eric Hosmer playing first base, Adam Frazier at second, Jake Cronenworth at short, and Manny Machado at third. The outfield will consist of a combination of Tommy Pham, Trent Grisham, Wil Myers, and Tatis Jr. The only question remaining is which player or player’s playing time will be taken away. Four can go into three if everyone is on board. Now comes the tricky part in getting Pham, Grisham, and Myers to accept and execute the plan to perfection.
Everyone Has to be on Board with Position Change
A position change of this nature provides a clear narrative for the remainder of the season. It is the only logical move to keep Tatis Jr. healthy. The Padres are not looking to fill a void but field the best team that can win games. If you want Tatis Jr. in the lineup every day, then he must transition to the outfield.
Still, one or more in the above group is going to become an “innocent” victim. Of course, they will be unhappy with the reduced playing time. Tough, there are two months left in the season and having Tatis Jr. in the lineup will give the Padres the best chance to play October baseball. It is too late to be concerned with a player’s displeasure with their role. That is a conversation that will have to wait until the offseason.
Fernando Tatis Jr. Adds to the San Diego Padres
No one can deny Tatis Jr’s attributes as a player: the proficiency to hit both lefty and righty pitching, incredible power, great baserunning instincts, an excellent defender and love of being a difference-maker in big games. There should be no concerns with Tatis Jr.’s ability to track a flyball. If you have ever seen him chase down a popup from the shortstop position to short leftfield, then that should end everyone’s concerns.
The recently completed homestand showed the Padres still have some life left after hitting the mat with a series of gut punches from the devastating amount of injuries sustained after the All-Star break. It has brought a malaise that hangs over the Padres. The return of Tatis Jr. to the lineup could be the shot of adrenaline the team needs for the stretch run.
The MLB postseason is a crapshoot. Teams want their ticket punched even if it is a quick excursion to a single-elimination road game. But that one opportunity could catapult them into a memorable postseason run.
Next. Tatis to outfield a major gamble. dark
For the San Diego Padres, the future is now and inserting Fernando Tatis Jr. in the outfield is the right move.