Padres skipper downplays Fernando Tatis Jr.'s struggles, says numbers are "skewed"

Fernando Tatis Jr. is in the midst of the toughest season of his career. The San Diego Padres right fielder has hit a low of .211 following a 7-4 loss to the Texas Rangers 7-4 on Saturday night.

It's not the fist time his average has dipped; he faced a similar slump in May when his batting average dropped from .345 to .269. During that time, Tatis went hitless in six of nine games, had a low BABIP and experienced an increase in strikeouts.

After Tatis went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts, Padres manager Mike Shildt explained Tatis' struggles and drops in performance:

“Numbers can lie. ... the numbers are going to be skewed either way a little bit.” Shildt continued, “Fernando Tatis is a wonderful guy and an exceptional talent.”

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Mike Shildt backs up Fernando Tatis Jr.

Texas Rangers v San Diego Padres - Source: Getty

Padres manager Mike Shildt, explaining Fernando Tatis' dip in performance, explained that there's no issue with his mindset but he can run into poor form amid the pressure of expectation. Shildt elaborated:

“Sometimes you got to prove you’re human. Let’s not forget who we are and who he is,” reitarating his faith in the star player.

Meanwhile, Tatis will look for a quick redemption when the Padres are in action next, on Saturday when they lock horns with the Rangers in the end-of-series final at Petco Park.

The first pitch is set for 9:10 pm PDT. All eyes will likely be on the No. 23 as he looks to come back from his slump and deliver for his team. He will look to replicate his recent form: in April, Tatis had a .345 batting average, a 1.011 OPS, an 11-game hitting streak, as he strives to come out of his slump.