Padres’ All-Star Fernando Tatis Jr. would benefit from Home Run Derby

May 17, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) hits a double during the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images

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Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Some players shy away from doing the Home Run Derby for fear of messing up their swings or risking injury. For Fernando Tatis Jr., it might be just the thing that snaps him out of his slump.

Fernando Tatis Jr. has never participated in the Home Run Derby, part of the All-Star Game festivities each year. He was asked in 2021 but turned it down, as he had been dealing with shoulder issues for much of that year.

Upon turning that opportunity down, he felt more chances would come. “I feel like there’s going to be more chances for me to go to the Home Run Derby,” he said back in 2021. “When I go over there, I want to put on a pretty good show.”

While there is not yet any confirmation Tatis has been approached about the derby in 2025, if asked, he might benefit from participating.

Tatis was named to the 2025 National League All-Star team on Sunday. He will already be in Atlanta next week either way.

As of now, only three of the possible eight derby spots have been confirmed. James Wood, Cal Raleigh, and Ronald Acuña Jr. are currently the only confirmed participants, leaving five spots open.

Tatis should be one of them.

No, Tatis is not among the leaders in homers currently. However, that isn’t always a prerequisite for participating in the derby.

Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Elly De La Cruz, Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso, and Pete Crow-Armstrong have already turned down this year’s derby.

Players like Eugenio Suarez, Riley Greene, and several more All-Stars have more home runs than Tatis, who also hasn’t at least publicly turned down the derby as of yet. There is no guarantee Tatis will even garner an invite.

Assuming Major League Baseball prefers four participants from both the National and American League, that means there are only two NL spots left. But several big NL names have already said no.

If asked, Tatis would benefit from participating in the derby. While some are concerned about derby-inducing slumps to begin the second half, Tatis is already mired in the biggest slump of his career. Since May 1, Tatis is batting .212, with a .674 OPS, and below-average 93 wRC+ in 57 games. His seven homers in that timeframe is just third on the team.

However, due to his MVP-level April, he still leads the Padres with 15 homers on the entire season. Fans know his all-world power very well. When Tatis is right, there are few players in the world who square up a baseball like the 26-year-old.

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The now three-time All-Star needs a boost. After taking a few pitches off his wrist and arm over the last several weeks, it appears he is uncomfortable and may even be experiencing a crisis of confidence at the plate.

What better way to remind Tatis that he is one of the best hitters on planet Earth than putting on a show in front of millions of viewers around the world? If he performs well at the derby, it might help clear his head and regain his out-of-this-world confidence and swagger.

On the other side, it’s not like the derby will cause him to slump. Tatis already has one of those.

Injury risk is basically the only downside to Tatis participating. If there’s an underlying issue from all of those hit-by-pitches, then it would be wise to use the full break to rest and heal. The team has not mentioned any lingering health issues for him.

The Padres have not had a representative for the Home Run Derby since Wil Myers in 2016. That was when the Midsummer Classic was in San Diego. It has been nearly a decade. It’s time.

If Tatis is feeling well, the derby could be just the thing to get his swing back to where it was when he was setting the world on fire in April.

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