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Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres enter MLB record books amid historic late-inning dominance

Originally posted on ClutchPoints | By Peter Sampson | Last updated 4/13/24

After the San Diego Padres rallied from a big deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-7 on Friday night, Fernando Tatis Jr. and company ended up entering the MLB record books, per OptaSTATS:

“The @Padres in the 6th inning or later over their last 4 games: Runs: Padres 21, opponents 0 HR: Padres 8, opponents 0. Never before in MLB history had a team outscored its opponents 20-0 (or better) and outhomered them 8-0 (or better) in the 6th or later over a 4-game span.”

Tatis hit a two-run shot in the seventh inning to tie it at 7-all. Manny Machado, Ha-Seong Kim and Jake Cronenworth also went deep for the Padres, who trailed 7-3 after three innings.

The Padres have been the comeback kids over the last few days.

What looked like a total snoozefest in San Diego through four innings on Tuesday ended up producing the moment of the year in Major League Baseball so far. The Padres trimmed an 8-0 lead to 8-7 by the bottom of the eighth inning and sent Fernando Tatís Jr. to the plate as the go-ahead run against Chicago Cubs closer Adbert Alzolay.

Tatis launched a two-run homer to deep left field, punctuated by an epic bat flip, a scream of jubilation and a Petco Park crowd that was sent into a frenzy

The Padres and Dodgers are back at it when San Diego RHP Matt Waldron (0-1, 3.86 ERA) will be opposed by Los Angeles RHP Gavin Stone (0-1, 7.88 ERA) on Saturday night.

Padres chasing the postseason

San Diego Padres third base Manny Machado (13) celerates with outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

All signs pointed to a successful baseball team in San Diego last year. The Padres were second in team ERA, fifth in defensive runs saved above average, and above average in runs scored. Yet the club finished 82-80 and missed out on the playoffs.

The offseason was also a rollercoaster. In December, the club traded superstar outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Yankees for right-handers Michael King, Jhony Brito, and Randy Vasquez, starting pitching prospect Drew Thorpe, and catcher Kyle Higashioka. In January, the team saw All-Star closer Josh Hader sign a record-breaking contract with the Houston Astros. Then, just a few weeks before the season started, the Padres traded for Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease.

Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and Cease form one of the best trios of starting pitchers in Major League Baseball this season. After that, there are huge question marks.

Michael King — acquired from the Yankees in the Juan Soto trade — is the number-five starter but just 19 of his 116 appearances across six seasons have come as a starter. King had four starts of at least five innings, allowing a combined three earned runs while striking out 31 batters. He also finished with an ERA of 2.75 on the season with 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

After King is unproven knuckleballer Matt Waldron. Waldron had an ERA of 4.35 across 41.1 innings pitched last year in his debut season in the majors. Johnny Brito, also acquired in the Soto deal, is another option.

This team will rely heavily on Darvish, Musgrove, Cease, and Snell — a dangerous strategy but one that is necessary if the club wants to make its first World Series appearance in a quarter of a century.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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