Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. Expects to Go On Hot Streak Soon

Gabe Smallson | Jun 11, 2025

Jun 10, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) scores ahead of the throw to Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) during the third inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images / Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres are having a productive season thus far, but Fernando Tatis Jr. has been struggling at the plate as of late.

The superstar is still affecting the game in terms of an above-average walk-rate, more stolen bases, and his constant hustle, but a .169 batting average over his last 20 games shows much room for improvement, to say the least.

According to Tatis, the slump shouldn't last much longer.

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“Taking what they give me,” Tatis said. “And, you know, it’s a matter of time for me to get hot.”

Fellow superstar Jackson Merrill seems to think that the slump that seems to have affected much of the Padres offense is wearing off, especially after Tuesday's 11-1 clobbering of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“It’s good to see the offense jumping,” Merrill said. “Slow couple weeks, but you gotta know it’s going to jump.”

As for Tatis, he still has the same elite tools that carried him to start 2025, but has yet to make consistently productive contact with the ball since May, a month that he entered hitting .345 with a 1.020 OPS. For reference, El Nino is now hitting .259 with a .796 OPS.

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Tatis is among the best right fielders in baseball, grading out in the 98th percentile in terms of Outs Above Average. He is also in the 98th percentile in terms of arm strength compared to qualified fielders.

The 26-year-old is continuing to crush the ball, but often to an opposing glove.

His average exit velocity is at 93.5 mph, or the 94th percentile across MLB, while he ranks in the 87th percentile in hard-hit rate (batted balls that are 95 mph or faster).

A clear area of improvement can be his below average swing and miss rate, as he whiffs on pitches 28.1 percent of the time, good for just the 26th percentile among hitters.

Regardless of when Tatis returns to his early season prowess, his innate ability to disrupt the game wherever he is and however he has been doing at the plate is truly special.

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