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After his electric start to the MLB season, many fans and analysts have hailed Fernando Tatis Jr. as the best leadoff hitter in the game, crediting him with San Diego Padres' early season run. While he has no doubt been the biggest contributor to the San Diego offence, some fans strongly disagreed with claims about him being the best leadoff hitter in the MLB.
Since making his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres in 2019, Fernando Tatis Jr. has established himself as one of their best offensive players. While he has had stints as a leadoff hitter, that position was mostly filled by designated hitter Luis Arraez. This season, manager Mike Schildt has gone with Tatis Jr. in the leadoff spot and it has paid off very well for San Diego.
Tatis Jr.'s recent form a sparked an online debate on whether he is the best leadoff in the game. While Padres fans may agree, a vast majority of others have shared their reaction and rubbished the claim:
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"Sorry, he's not even the best leadoff hitter in his own division," wrote one fan on Twitter.
"Pretty sure the NL MVP and MVP runner up are both leadoff hitters. So...no," added another.
Most MLB fans agree that there several other players who are ahead of Fernando Tatis Jr., naming Shohei Ohtani and Francisco Lindor as the biggest examples:
"He’s not even 3rd best in the National League. This is a terrible take. Ohtani, Lindor, and Acuna Jr. are better options," wrote @LA_Brandon_Rod on X.
"How many MVPs does he have hitting leadoff?" asked @SanPedroAce.
"The conversation starts when he goes 50/50," added @luckycadaver.
Despite the backlash, it is fair to have Fernando Tatis Jr. in the conversation for a MVP-calibre season this year. The outfielder is currently hitting a .358 average with eight home runs and 16 RBIs this season.
Fernando Tatis Jr. blasts 8th homer of the season to lead the Padres to victory over the Astros
After the strong start to the MLB season, the San Diego Padres had a less than ideal series against the Houston Astros this weekend. After losing the first two games of the series, they managed a narrow win the third thanks to Fernando Tatis Jr.'s heroics from the plate.
After scoring on a error in the first innings, the Dominican blasted a go-ahead home run in the seventh to secure the victory. It was his eighth home run of the season which puts him on top of the NL leaderboards.
