‘I almost forgot how’: Tatis hits first spring homer

PEORIA, Ariz. — It’d been some time.

Fernando Tatis Jr. had simply launched his first house run of the spring on Friday night time. He rounded second base and approached third for his standard stutter step, and …

“Oh man,” Tatis said with a laugh. “I virtually forgot the way to do it.”

Almost. But Tatis executed his customary stop-and-start at third base, a lot to the delight of the Peoria Stadium crowd. Then he touched house plate, marking his first house run in a Padres uniform since September 2021.

“My God, I can’t remember the last time I had that feeling,” stated Tatis, who missed all the 2022 marketing campaign as a result of accidents and a PED suspension. “It feels great.”

Tatis made no mistake on a first-pitch fastball from Mariners right-hander Chris Flexen, sending a rocket to straightaway middle area off the batter’s eye. He simply missed a homer on Thursday, and he labored a stroll in his solely different plate look on Friday.

After an 0-for-16 begin, wherein he was clearly shaking off some rust, Tatis is now 4-for-9 with a double, a homer and a pair of walks over the past week.

“I feel like the work we’re putting in is definitely working,” Tatis stated. “I’m just getting more confident, with more at-bats.”

Indeed, Tatis is beginning to seem like his outdated self — the model who gained consecutive Silver Slugger Awards in 2020 and ’21.

Of course, Tatis’ bat is just one half of the equation this spring. He’s additionally adjusting to a place change, and he had an journey in proper area on Friday night time — with largely optimistic outcomes.

Half an inning after Tatis’ solo house run, Mariners first baseman Ty France despatched two fly balls in his course. Tatis misplayed the primary, a popup close to the wall in foul territory.

Two pitches later, nonetheless, France despatched a liner towards the right-center-field hole that appeared ticketed for extra-bases. Tatis turned on the jets and tracked it down on the run with a backhanded catch.

“I’m looking forward to that, what I’m capable of — controlling it at the same time,” Tatis stated. “I feel like we’re definitely putting in good work out there.”

It was, in a single at-bat, a summation of Tatis’ present right-field juxtaposition: inexperience, coupled with exceptional athleticism. Two innings later introduced extra of the identical. Tatis twisted and turned on a Cal Raleigh fly ball to the warning monitor. But regardless of the circuitous route, Tatis caught his glove out and made a powerful catch.

“The more he’s out there, the more comfortable he’s going to be,” manager Bob Melvin said. “He’ll make some plays that maybe some other guys really can’t.”

Tatis, after all, has time to work out a few of these kinks. He’s not eligible to return from his suspension till April 20.

In the meantime, Melvin famous after the sport that the rationale Tatis solely acquired two plate appearances Friday was as a result of he’s slated to play on Saturday as effectively — marking the primary time this spring that Tatis will play video games on three straight days.

The impetus behind that call? Well, the Padres have everybody again Saturday — Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Nelson Cruz, Xander Bogaerts and Ha-Seong Kim have all returned from the World Baseball Classic. Melvin wished Tatis within the combine, with the entire offense collectively for the primary time. Tatis was eased into motion earlier this spring, after surgical procedures on his left shoulder and wrist final 12 months. He hasn’t but had the chance to play with a completely loaded Padres lineup.

“It’ll be fun, right?” Melvin stated. “We’re getting to the end of spring here now. … We’ll try to get them all out there tomorrow.”