Skip to main content

Fernando Tatís Jr. Pays Tribute to Virgil Abloh With Custom Cleats

Fernando Tatís Jr.'s custom Off-White cleats drew inspiration from Virgil Abloh's artistic legacy.

Fernando Tatís Jr. has been on a Joe DiMaggio-style run as of late. No, he isn't breaking the untouchable MLB hitting streak. But he is setting the bar at an impossibly high level with his footwear on the field.

Earlier this week, Tatís Jr. debuted cleat 10 of 50 from his exclusive custom cleat series for the 2024 MLB season. Fans got their first look at the newest cleats when the San Diego Padres faced the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

The tenth cleat in the series has an Off-White themed aesthetic, showcasing artistic designs of the original shoes Virgil Abloh created. Titled "UP," this cleat showcased the classic features that the Off-White brand embodies.

Everything from the text written on the shoes to the arrow logo to the orange stitching are a direct inspiration of Abloh's artistic language. Below is a detailed look at sky blue and white kicks.

San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatís Jr.'s blue and white cleats.

San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatís Jr.'s custom cleats.

The theme of the cleat is self-explanatory. Details featured throughout the shoe with sky blue and white colors, and clouds placed along the sky blue coloring, gives the feeling you are up in the sky during a beautiful day at the ballpark.

Using the trademarked Off-White script, several Tatís Jr. personal attributes are written on the sides of the cleats. Below is a breakdown of some of the more impressive details

  • Tatís Jr.'s nickname, "El Nino," is written on the soul of the cleat, which translates to "the kid" in Spanish.
  • His jersey number is spelled out "TWENTY-THREE."
  • His hometown, San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic got a shout-out.
  • Lastly, 1999, the year he was born appears on the cleats.

Tatís Jr.'s tenth cleat (as well as the remaining 40) in his season-long collection was conceptualized by XAMPLE's CEO & Founder, Nick Drbal, and expertly crafted by SURGEON. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's FanNation Kicks for all your sneaker news from the MLB and the rest of the sports world.

Further Reading: Fernando Tatís Jr. pays tribute to Stephen Curry with custom Under Armour cleats.

In This Article (3)

Fernando Tatis Jr.
San Diego Padres
MLB

© 2024 ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. - All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Gambling content intended for 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.