The San Diego Padres are 8-9 to start the 2023 season, currently good enough for third place in the NL West division.
Their vaunted offense has scored just 71 runs and the team as a whole has a -2 run differential.
It’s certainly not the start fans had envisioned after the organization went out and signed Xander Bogaerts, Nelson Cruz, and other prominent players.
However, it’s still early.
There is hope the offense can pick up the pace in upcoming days and weeks.
One of the reasons behind the optimism is that slugger Fernando Tatis Jr., still serving his 80-game suspension from last year, is about to return.
He is eligible to play for the Padres starting on Thursday.
He has been playing for El Paso, the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate, and has been punishing the ball.
“Fernando Tatis Jr. is now 10-for-12 with 6 home runs in his last 3 games after going deep AGAIN,” Talkin’ Baseball tweeted over the weekend.
Fernando Tatis Jr. is now 10-for-12 with 6 home runs in his last 3 games after going deep AGAIN pic.twitter.com/tXlBUHf8hp
—Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 16, 2023
It doesn’t matter what level you are playing: a 10-for-12 stretch with six (!) home runs is one of the most impressive things you will see.
It’s cool to imagine fans attending those games, always expecting things to happen when Tatis stepped up to the plate to hit.
This is a player who has the potential to go 30-30 in the remainder of the 2023 campaign.
He has already hit 42 home runs in a season: it happened in 2021.
There are questions surrounding his bat speed and strength after shoulder surgery last year.
He is sure doing his best to answer those questions.
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Juan Soto Comments On His Stacked Team
