Can Fernando Tatis Jr spark a Padres playoff comeback?

Backs against the wall

The San Diego Padres are facing a massive challenge. After losing their first two games on the road against the 103 win Milwaukee Brewers, they must now win three games in a row to save their season. History is against them. Only three out of 36 teams have ever come back to win this series after losing the first two games away from home.

Manager Craig Stammen remains hopeful. He pointed to how his team turned their season around in the summer. To make another comeback, they will need their biggest star, Fernando Tatis Jr, to lead the way. As shortstop Xander Bogaerts put it, 'He goes, we go.'

Fixing the swing

Tatis had a terrible start to his season. Fifty games in, his slugging percentage was near the bottom of the league, and he had not hit a single home run. He had experimented with a closed stance that left his body feeling stuck.

To get back on track, Tatis turned to future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols. The two analyzed videos of his swing almost daily. Pujols, who had suffered through a similar slump years ago with the Los Angeles Angels, helped Tatis fix his mechanics. The Padres also assigned minor league hitting coach Raul Padron to work closely with him.

The hard work paid off. On May 30, Tatis finally hit his first home run of the year, a 451 foot blast against Washington. He ended the regular season with 25 home runs and a .289 batting average.

The quiet bat

Despite his great summer comeback, Tatis has gone cold again. He hit a home run in the postseason opener, but since then, he is just 1 for 14 at the plate.

The rest of the Padres offense is also struggling. In the two losses in Milwaukee, the team scored only five runs and went 3 for 18 with runners in scoring position. If San Diego wants to keep their playoff hopes alive at Petco Park, Tatis and the offense must find their rhythm immediately.