Opening Day is here! The New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants will begin the season Wednesday night on Netflix, followed by almost a full slate of baseball on Thursday. The San Diego Padres and Detroit Tigers meet at Petco Park to begin the season on Thursday afternoon. Tarik Skubal will take on Nick Pivetta. There is nothing like the thrill of baseball at the end of March, with so much to look forward to.
One player that most Padres fans look forward to watching is superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. His electric style of play and aura make him one of the biggest stars in the game. He's been an MVP candidate in the past and is currently a back-to-back Platinum Glove winner in right field. He plays defense like no other, and many players respect his arm in right field, not often attempting to reach an extra base with the ball heading his way.
With the wood, Tatis is famous for his bat flips. He showcased it once again (multiple times), representing the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic a few weeks back, hitting a monster home run against eventual champions Venezuela and a grand slam against Israel in group play.
Fernando Tatis Jr. was made for the WBC pic.twitter.com/BE9f30Izub
— Chase Izidoro (@chaseizi) March 12, 2026
The Padres need this Tatis all season long. It's hard to have that energy for all 162 games, but when the moment comes, the Friars are hoping that Tatis will come through more often than not. He has clearly proven to rise to the occasion.
With the season about to start, let's break down three bold predictions for Tatis Jr., who is heading into season No. 8 in Brown & Gold.
3 Fernando Tatis Jr. Bold Predictions for 2026 Season
3. Tatis Jr. Hits 35+ home runs
Fernando has done this before. In 2021, he hit 42 home runs in his best season in the pros. There is no doubt that Tatis Jr. can hit 35 home runs if he is playing as he did in the WBC earlier this month. Tatis Jr. hit 25 last season, 21 in 2024, and then 25 in 2023. He would have cleared this in 2019 and 2020 also if not for a back injury and the COVID-shortened season.
This really shouldn't even be a bold prediction for Tatis, but nagging injuries have hurt his ability to hit home runs at a consistent rate. He is 100% healthy right now. 2026 could be a massive season for El Niño.
2. Tatis Hits Career High in Batting Average
In 2021, Tatis Jr. hit .282, which is currently his career high for a full season. In his rookie season, he hit .317 in 84 games. Last year, it seemed like the right fielder was on his way to smashing career totals everywhere, but he slowed down a ton over the summer. Tatis might be as healthy as he has been since 2021, and this could mean very good things for not only him, but for the Friars as a potentially contending team. Fernando can easily hit .283 minimum in 2026.
1. Tatis Jr. Wins NL MVP
Tatis Jr. winning MVP is very possible. As mentioned before, he was a candidate in the past. If Tatis Jr. can play 155+ games again this season, then he will have the numbers comparable to the best in the National League. It won't be easy taking on Shohei Ohtani with his two-way ability, but Tatis will be one of the WAR leaders in the entire MLB, and if the Padres are a threat for the postseason, you never know.
The star outfielder is currently 4th in the NL in MVP odds at +1900 on FanDuel, behind Ohtani (-140), Juan Soto (+700), and Ronald Acuna Jr. (+1100). For what it is worth, Manny Machado is at +4000 and Jackson Merrill at +5000, giving the Friars three players in the top 17 in odds.
Tatis started the 2025 season very hot but was unable to keep up the pace. He even went on a month-long slump with a major lack of slug. That really hurt his numbers last season. Every player will go on slumps, but if Tatis Jr. can avoid long ones and lock in at the plate all season long, then he will once again be at the top of the league.
