Fernando Tatis Jr. drops 2-word verdict after denying Rafael Devers' HR in jaw-dropping play 

Fernando Tatis Jr. and the San Diego Padres were exceptional in every way during their 8-1 win on Wednesday night against the San Francisco Giants. One highlight play from the outfielder came in the first inning when Tatis robbed Rafael Devers of a possible home run.

Devers squared up Padres ace JP Sears' pitch down to right field. Seeing the trajectory, Tatis sprinted left, timed a perfect leap at the right-field wall and snatched a would-be home run away from Devers. He landed on the warning track and casually tossed the ball back in after regaining his footing. Meanwhile, Devers had a wry smile on his face, admiring his catch.

Spectators were left in awe after watching the highlight play.

Here's a video of the play shared by the Padres on Instagram:

Tatis had a two-word reaction on the play, which he posted on his Instagram story:

"Decent vertical."

Tatis' Instagram story (Source: @tatis/Instagram)

Fernando Tatis Jr., Gavin Sheets power Padres to 8-1 win

The Padres are once again turning out to be the best MLB teams during the second half. They hit an obstacle when the LA Dodgers swept them in a three-game series. But it seems the minor setback has motivated them enough to do well in every facet of the game.

On Wednesday night, their pitching was exceptional. JP Sears put six strong frames while only allowing one home run, which came in the fourth inning off Giants' Casey Schmitt's at-bat. The Padres' bullpen didn't allow any hits after they took over the game in the seventh inning.

Meanwhile, on the offensive front, the Padres were charged by homers from Ryan O'Hearn, Manny Machado and especially Gavin Sheets, who hit two long balls. Fernando Tatis Jr., who played leadoff, also contributed with two hits, one RBI and one run scored.

Tatis Jr. is having a good year after returning from a PED suspension last year. In 2025, he is hitting .266 along with 17 home runs and 52 RBIs with an OPS of .805.

Combined with timely hitting and lights-out pitching, San Diego pulled within one game of first place in the NL West. The Padres, who improved to 71-56 on Wednesday, have one more game left to be played against the Giants before they shift their focus to the NL West-leading LA Dodgers.