Padres News: Bob Melvin Proud of Fernando Tatis Jr's Bounce Back Season
The San Diego Padres have seen a major rise in attendance over the last few years, including this season, as they have set the franchise mark for it. Fans flock to Petco Park for each home game, ready to cheer on their team. It has been a nice change of scenery for the Padres and is a big reason why the team has invested so much into the roster.
Players seem to enjoy being a part of the San Diego organization, and surely the beautiful weather doesn’t hurt either. But having the support of the fans is always something that plays a big role in the morale of a team. It helped keep the Padres going through the tough times this year, and for star Fernando Tatis Jr., the support is everything.
Entering the season, many were wondering how he would look after missing all of last year due to injuries and a suspension. But Tatis Jr. had a bounce-back year for San Diego, playing in the most games that he has in his career so far.
His numbers weren’t exactly up to par, but he did put together a 25-25 season. His manager Bob Melvin spoke about the season, and how proud he has been of his young star.
“I think it’s been fantastic,” Melvin said. “You know, it’s what, it’s 25-25 right now. Just whatever it is. That’s not easy to do, to come back and put up these types of numbers.
On the year, he has played in 137 games and has hit .262 with 25 home runs and 78 runs batted in. At times, it has been a grind for Tatis Jr. but he has continued to push through it all.
“It hasn’t been, you know, perfect for him. But I think this was a season where he was gonna go out there, he was gonna play every day as much as he could. He was gonna play hard. He was gonna play a new position. He was going to be inspired every day. He’s done all of that.”
Tatis Jr. knows that he could have had a better year, and he is looking ahead to next season. But having him out there on the field more often can be seen as a win, despite the way the season went for the team.
Tatis Jr. can use this offseason to continue getting better. It will be a major winter for him, but he won’t run from the challenge. His dedication to winning has made him great, and that isn’t going to stop anytime soon for him.
