San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. on Historic Tear to Open Postseason Run

Fernando Tatis Jr. was at the center of the drama between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in Game 2 of the NLDS, on top of blasting two home runs.

Oct 6, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) hits a two run home run in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game two of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Fernando Tatis Jr. got under the Los Angeles Dodgers' skin on Sunday night, thanks in large part to his historic performance at the plate.

The San Diego Padres right fielder opened up Game 2 of the NLDS with a solo home run in the first inning, adding a double in the third. The next time he stepped up to the plate in the sixth, Tatis got plunked by Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty.

Flaherty got pulled two batters later, just after striking out Manny Machado and trash talking the Padres shortstop from the dugout. All the while, the Padres remained ahead and Tatis teased Dodgers fans in the outfield.

Some fans eventually threw objects at Tatis and left fielder Jurickson Profar, causing an extended delay in the game. Tatis wasn't fazed, though, blasting a 401-foot, two-run bomb in the top of the ninth inning.

It marked the second two-home run performance of Tatis' career – following Game 2 of the 2020 NL Wild Card Series – and put the cherry on top of a 10-2 San Diego win that evened the series 1-1. He is the only player in league history with two multi-home run playoff games before turning 26, per MLB.com's Sarah Langs.

Tatis is now batting .643 with three home runs, five RBI and a 2.151 OPS through four games in the 2024 postseason. He went 4-for-6 with one home run, two RBI and two walks in the NL Wild Card Series against the Atlanta Braves, and is 5-for-8 with two home runs, three RBI and a hit-by-pitch so far in the NLDS.

According to Langs, Tatis boasts the fourth-highest OPS by any player through the first four games of a single postseason, minimum 15 plate appearances.

The all-time leader is David Ortiz, who had a 2.444 OPS four games into the 2007 playoffs. Lou Gehrig ranks second with the 2.433 OPS he had through the first four games of the 1928 postseason, while Colby Rasmus' 2.188 OPS from 2015 ranks third.

highest OPS in first 4 games of a single postseason, min 15 PA:

2007 David Ortiz: 2.444
1928 Lou Gehrig: 2.433
2015 Colby Rasmus: 2.188
2024 Fernando Tatis Jr.: 2.151 https://t.co/N2eKKCZ63y

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 7, 2024

Ortiz and Gehrig went on to win the World Series with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees those years, while Rasmus' St. Louis Cardinals lost in the NLDS. Padres fans surely hope Tatis can lead them to a title the same way the former two legends did, although that would require winning 10 more games this October.

Tatis and the Padres will get Monday off, then face the Dodgers again in Game 3 on Tuesday. First pitch from Petco Park is scheduled for 9:08 p.m.

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