Bogaerts: Fernando Tatis Jr. Is Putting Padres ‘On His Back’ in 2024 MLB Playoffs

Fernando Tatis Jr.’s first postseason experience in front of home fans is going better than anyone could have predicted after his two-run homer capped off a six-run second inning in Game 3 of the NLDS lifted the San Diego Padres to a 6-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Speaking to reporters after Tuesday’s win, Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts praised Tatis for “putting it on his back right now” with the team one win away from reaching the NLCS for the second time in three years.

Tatis’ only previous postseason appearance with the Padres came during the 2020 season. The Padres did play in front of fans for their NLDS series against the Dodgers, but it was a limited crowd at Globe Life Field in Texas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two-time All-Star wasn’t eligible for San Diego’s 2022 playoff run after he was suspended for 80 games due to a violating of MLB’s Drug Prevention and Treatment Programs when he tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug Clostebol.

Now that Tatis is back in the playoffs for the first time in four years, he is reminding the world why he is one of the best young stars in the sport. The 25-year-old is hitting .556/.636/1.333 with four homers in 49 plate appearances in five playoff games.

While it is fair to say Tatis is doing a lot of heavy lifting for the Padres, he is not the only player on the team playing well right now. Rookie Jackson Merrill has an 1.156 OPS in his last five games. Kyle Higashioka is slugging .750, and Jurickson Profar has a .429 on-base percentage on top of his trolling defensive skills.

The Padres’ lineup is picking up the slack for their rotation so far. After they put up a six spot in the second inning on Tuesday, Michael King allowed the Dodgers back in the game in the top of the third by giving up a grand slam to Teoscar Hernández.

Dylan Cease allowed five runs in 3.1 innings in San Diego’s Game 1 loss to the Dodgers.

The Padres have scored at least five runs in each of their last four playoff games. The rest of the playoff field has scored at least five runs in a game a combined total of seven times.

San Diego will look to end the Dodgers’ season in the NLDS for the second time in three years in Game 4 at Petco Park on Wednesday at 9:08 p.m. ET. Cease will make his second start of the series looking to redeem himself.