San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. Extends Historic Start to Postseason

Fernando Tatis Jr. belted his fourth home run so far these playoffs, lifting the San Diego Padres to a critical Game 3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.

Oct 8, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) celebrates after hitting a home run in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. / Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

As it turns out, Fernando Tatis Jr. was built for October.

The San Diego Padres right fielder may have grounded out to third in his first at-bat of Game 3 of the NLDS on Tuesday night, but he more than made up for it the next time he stepped up to the plate. San Diego had strung together two singles, two fielder's choices, a double and a sacrifice fly to go up 4-1 on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the bottom of the second, bringing Tatis back up with two down.

Tatis attacked Walker Buehler from the jump, only to go down in the count 0-2. Buehler left a fastball over the middle, though, and Tatis took advantage.

The 25-year-old slugger roped the pitch 396 feet to left, taking his sweet time getting out of the batter's box as he watched it sail over the fence. His two-run home run made it a 6-1 ballgame, and the Padres went on to win 6-5.

NANDO! PANDEMONIUM!!! #NLDS pic.twitter.com/mEWBVBqMrc

— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2024

Just 11 games into his postseason career, Tatis is up to six home runs. According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, there have only been four players who have ever bested that mark: Daniel Murphy, B.J. Upton and Nomar Garciaparra with seven and Carlos Beltrán with eight.

Tatis' 1.506 career OPS in the playoffs is also the fourth-highest through 11 games – minimum 40 plate appearances – trailing only Beltrán, Bernie Williams and Garciaparra, according to Langs.

In these playoffs alone, Tatis is already up to 10 hits and four home runs through five games. Per Langs, Beltrán is the only other player to achieve that feat, doing so at the start of the 2004 postseason.

Tatis has yet to strike out one time in October, either. According to OptaSTATS, the only other player in MLB history to have at least four home runs and zero strikeouts over any five-game span in the postseason was Lou Gehrig, who did it between 1928 and 1932.

Fernando Tatis Jr. of the @Padres has hit 4 HR in 5 games this postseason. He has not struck out once.

The only other player in MLB history to have 4+ HR and no strikeouts over any 5-game span in the postseason was Lou Gehrig from 1928-32. pic.twitter.com/lVEu1br9K0

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 9, 2024

Tatis is batting .556 with a 1.969 OPS through the entire NL Wild Card Series and first three games of the NLDS. As noted by Langs, that gives him the second-highest OPS in the first five games of a single postseason, minimum 20 plate appearances.

Colby Rasmus' 2015 explosion with the Houston Astros is the only playoff-opening tear that stands above Tatis' so far.

Had Tatis been available in the 2022 postseason, and not serving a suspension for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drug policy, perhaps the Padres could have made it past the NLCS.

Tatis made his second All-Star appearance this summer, but missed over two months with a stress reaction in his right femur. He still finished the season batting .276 with 21 home runs, 49 RBI, 11 stolen bases, an .833 OPS and a 2.6 WAR.

The Padres have a chance to close out the NLDS on Wednesday, or else they will need to return to a hostile Dodger Stadium for Game 5 on Friday.

First pitch for Game 4 is scheduled for 9:08 p.m. ET.

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