Padres' Fernando Tatis Says He's Holding Himself Back From Charging the Mound After HBP

Aug 5, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) prepares for his at bat in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. has been hit by a pitch a total of six times this season. The latest came Sunday night against the Boston Red Sox when right-hander Brayan Bello plunked Tatis with a 94 mph fastball on the left hip.

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For the sixth time in 2025, another inside pitch struck Tatis. The Padres star winced, walked it off and went to first base.

Tatis has been pitched inside all season long, and quite frankly, he's tired of it.

“Yeah,” Tatis said to the San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee. “I could charge the mound. But there’s a reason why I’ve been holding myself. If I go out there, it’s not like I’m just going to talk to him. If I go out there, I’m probably going to lose it. And at the end of the day, I’m probably going to lose more than what I can accomplish by doing that. So, I’m just trying to stay in the game and find a way to beat them.”

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Beginning Monday night, the Padres kick off a crucial 16-game stretch against the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners. The Friars will face the defending champions twice in August, and both matchups will certainly shape the rest of the season for the NL West.

When the Padres faced the Dodgers twice in June, Tatis was hit by a pitch from a Dodgers pitcher three times in a span of nine days.

"I come over here to play baseball, and that’s all my intention to do on the field," Tatis said after being hit by a pitch in the series finale June 20. "But all the other crap, we don’t have time. If you can’t control it, you make a better attack approach.”

The third hit by a pitch was the catalyst for a benches clearing incident at Dodger Stadium that saw both team's managers get ejected. Tensions will be high between the NL West rivals, but the hope is that Dodgers pitchers have cleaned up their act for the two upcoming series in August.

Tatis is seemingly in the midst of breaking out of his slump, collecting two hits Saturday and another pair Sunday.

The Padres will need the very best of Tatis in this next stretch of games, especially with San Diego chasing first in the division.

Any way you slice it, the Padres enter a very important 16-game stretch today.

- 3 games @ Giants
- 3 games @ Dodgers
- 4 games vs. Giants
- 3 games vs. Dodgers
- 3 games @ Mariners

Buckle up.

— Sammy Levitt (@SammyLev) August 11, 2025

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