When Fernando Tatis Jr. returned to the San Diego Padres from his 80-game suspension, he revived something that had been lost in his absence: claiming the NL West crown.

Besides the 2021 season, where the San Francisco Giants surprised everyone and took the NL West from the Dodgers, the kings of the west have been in Chavez Ravine since 2013. That same 2021 season, the Padres were supposed to give the Dodgers a run for their money but finished third in the division and were completely left out of the playoffs.

There was a new hope by the 2022 season, however, and the thought, again, was that the Padres were finally going to best the Dodgers again. Then Tatis got suspended in August for 80 games after testing positive for Clostebol, an anabolic steroid. But somehow it didn't matter — the Padres made it to the playoffs as a wild card.

It's not unnoticed what the Padres did in the NLDS last season, beating the 111-win Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 in the series. It's just surprising they did it without Tatis. It's probably one of the greatest moments in Padres history — even if they didn't make it to the World Series. But claiming the NL West still means something, and with Tatis back looking in full form, they can finally beat the Dodgers for the NL West.

Fernando Tatis Jr. has a true presence

When Tatis showed up to Petco Park for his first home game after returning from suspension, he showed up in a pair custom made Jordan 1 Retro Dior cleats. While that had nothing to do with his on the field performance, it had everything to do with his presence, whether in the locker room or on the field. Tatis was back and ready to have fun, dancing like he always does.

While dancing around during batting practice — or during a game for that matter — may not seem like it's important to some, it's everything to a team that plays a 162-game schedule. Teams need to feel lose, to be reminded that although it is a business and their making millions of dollars doing it, it's an entertainment business, and baseball can still be fun, if you let it be.

Just look at how Tatis handled his first appearance back in Wrigley Field when they chanted “steroids” at him:

Tatis doesn't let anything phase it him it seems, whether it's a fierce 80-game suspension, harsh fans, or a lethal Dodgers team that has bested him and the Padres for years.

Tatis loves playing the Dodgers

Tatis missed out on the fun of beating the Dodgers in the NLDS, but he made sure in his first series facing the team up north this season to make it a memorable one. Really, it was his coming out party to remind everyone that he was back, especially the Dodgers.

In a three-game series with the heated NL West rivals, Tatis slash line was .429/.429/1.000 with a 1.429 OPS. Most notably was the first game of the series where he hit two home runs off of future hall of famer Clayton Kershaw that put Petco Park in a frenzy.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Padres' Eric Hosmer saying the following: Here is what happened... Need Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres' Manny Machado, and Padres' Ha-Seong Kim next to Hosmer. Petco Park background.

Joey Mistretta ·

padres rockies prediction

Nathanial Duffett ·

Padres Rockies prediction, Padres Rockies odds, Padres Rockies pick, Padres Rockies, how to watch Padres Rockies

Matthew Zemek ·

Moments like that made Petco feel like playoff baseball and seemed to remind everyone that the Padres are not out of the hunt in the NL West.

Tatis makes the lineup even better

If you were to look at the Padres lineup, it's daunting. And that was before Tatis returned. With the likes of Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Xander Bogaerts and even veteran Nelson Cruz, the Padres should be able to compete with anyone. Tatis, however, has shown how important he was to the lineup.

Before Tatis returned, the Padres were 9-11 but have gone 10-6 with him. Soto, who hasn't quite found his form this season, has increased his OPS by .092 from .790 to .882. Machado, another slugger, had been similar, with a batting average well below his standard at .241. Not only that, but he also had a measly one home run. Since then, he's went yard four times.

Having Tatis leading off now, batting in front of the other big bats, there's an immediate change in the Padres lineup, as Soto and Machado can attest. The lineup is more potent than ever, with the onus being on Tatis.

When the game is on the line, there are few players you'd rather have at the plate than Tatis. His ability to come through in the clutch is well-documented, and he has a knack for coming through when his team and the moment asks for it. In what looks like it could be tight divisional race in the NL West, having a player like Tatis who can come through in the clutch could be the difference between not only making the playoffs but finally beating those pesky Dodgers for the division title.