Fernando Tatis Jr. Acknowledges Postseason Struggles After Padres' NL Wild Card Exit

The San Diego Padres were knocked out in the NL Wild Card after a 3-1 Game 3 loss to the Chicago Cubs, with the offense sputtering — one run in Games 1 and 3 and several missed opportunities with runners in scoring position — while Chicago’s bullpen delivered in key moments. Fernando Tatis Jr. went 1-for-12 with four strikeouts in the series (0-for-4 in Game 3), publicly admitting a wrong approach at the plate and saying he must “pick it up” and be more consistent, even bluntly urging the team to “just f--king hit.” Tatis remains the franchise’s primary offensive leader and has strong prior postseason numbers (.317 batting average, 1.114 OPS), but his recent inconsistency amplified the team’s early exit. The loss intensifies offseason questions — several players could reach free agency — even as the core (Tatis, Manny Machado, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Jackson Merrill) and GM A.J. Preller’s aggressive roster moves remain central to the club’s near-term hopes. Fans and social media reacted sharply to Tatis’s no-show, underscoring the pressure on the Padres to shore up offensive consistency if they want to advance deeper in future postseasons.