Hey, Give Me Some Of Your Tatis
The 2026 San Diego Padres go as Fernando Tatis Jr. goes and that has been extremely evident over their second-half run and in their 8-1 win over the Twins on Sunday. The 27-year old superstar went 4-5 with 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI and a SB as San Diego completed the sweep and maintained their hold on the final wild card spot in the National League. After a dismal first few months, the Padres have put together a 23-12 record in the second half, which has coincideded with a .328/.418/.679 line from Tatis. The son of the man who hit two Grand Slams in one inning experienced some well documented power struggles in the first few months of the season, with just one home run by the end of May. Those struggles are ancient history as he is now up to 17 HRs, with 12 of those coming in the second half. Tatis also stole his 29th base of the year on Sunday and it is hard to believe that a 25/40 season is still within reach. San Diego still has one of, if not, the best bullpens in baseball and if Tatis is firing on all cylinders they could be an extremely tough out in the playoffs.
Let’s see how the other hitters did on Sunday:
Colton Cowser (BAL): 2-3, HR, 2B, R, RBI.
The Orioles literally got nothing from anyone not named Colton Cowser on Sunday, as his two hits accounted for all of the team’s baserunners and his 12th HR of the season produced their only run in a loss to Tampa Bay. Cowser has shown glimpses of the promise that made him the fifth overall pick in 2021 and he is hitting .324/.342/.703 with four HRs in his last 15 games.
Kevin McGonigle (DET): 2-4, HR, 2B, R, 3 RBI, BB.
Rookie Kevin McGonigle pushed Detroit into an early lead with an RBI double in the top of the first inning and he added his 14th HR in the fifth. Though the Tigers fell 11-7, the former top prospect McGonigle has delivered on all of the hype in 2026 and his 1:1 BB/K ratio is incredibly impressive for a 22-year old in his first MLB season.
Nick Loftin (KC): 3-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB.
Nick Loftin set the tone at the top of the lineup for the Royals with three hits and four RBI, including a three-run HR to blow the game open in the second inning. Hitting in front of Bobby Witt is always fun and Loftin took advantage of that to have a big day in the Kansas City victory. He is having a modest first full season in the Majors (.238/.332/.387) and will look to continue to take the most of his opportunities in the beleaguered Royals lineup.
John Rave (KC): 2-3, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, 2 SB.
Aside from having one of the coolest names in baseball, John Rave also showed he has both pop and speed in his game with his third HR and third and fourth stolen bases for the Royals on Sunday. The 28-year old really came into his own in 77 games at AAA this season, hitting .285/.396/.481 with 13 HRs, 18 stolen bases, a 15.2 BB% and a 18.3 K%. He is another guy that should have a chance to prove he belongs in the big leagues as the Royals look to see who they can rely on for 2027.
Chase DeLauter (CLE): 3-4, 2 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.
After missing several games with an injury last week, Chase DeLauter upped his triple total from one to three in the Guardians 7-2 win in Colorado on Sunday. DeLauter has put together an excellent rookie season, hitting .288/.363/.450, and probably doesn’t get the love he deserves around the league. His 131 wRC+ is good for 12th in the league, just ahead of the likes of Riley Greene, Mike Trout and Bobby Witt Jr..
Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, SB.
The Chicago Cubs rocked out in Seattle on Sunday, using 17 hits and nine walks to generate 19 runs in a rout of the Mariners. And wouldn’t you know it, Pete Crow-Armstrong was at the heart of all of it, mashing his 33rd HR of the season and adding his 32nd stolen base. The 24-year old is the odds on favorite to win the National League MVP and has established himself as one of the brightest young stars in the game.
Seiya Suzuki (CHC): 2-3, 3 R, 3 BB, SB.
While the Cubs hit plenty of longballs on Sunday, they also put a lot of people on base. Seiya Suzuki walked three times to go along with his two hits and even added his third stolen base of the year. The 32-year old is quietly having another solid season for the Cubs, hitting .270/363/.479 with 22 HRs and a career-best 12.2 BB%.
Ian Happ (CHC): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, BB, HBP.
While the Cubs didn’t hit two Grand Slams in one inning like our headliner’s father, they did hit two in their 19-2 win on Sunday. The first came from Ian Happ, who hit his 22nd HR off Bryce Miller in the third to put Chicago ahead 5-2. While his strikeouts are up significantly this season, Happ has maintained his usual power numbers for Chicago and has a chance to eclipse his career-best of 25 HRs, set in 2021 and 2024.
Pedro Ramirez (CHC): 3-6, HR, 3 R, 5 RBI.
While it came against the first of two position players to pitch for Seattle, Pedro Ramirez put an exclamation point on the Cubs blowout victory with his own Grand Slam in the eighth inning. He ended the day with three hits and five RBI and the 22-year old has done a solid job of providing Chicago with depth at the bottom of their lineup, hitting .285/.343/.424 in 55 games since being called up.
