San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. ended a significant home run drought on Saturday, hitting a solo home run against the Washington Nationals. This marked his first home run in 207 at-bats, a surprising stretch for a player of his caliber. The home run traveled 451 feet off Nationals starter Foster Griffin, and Tatis finished the game 2-for-5 with an RBI.

Breaking the Streak

Tatis’ 55-game homerless streak was the second-longest for a player who has hit 40 or more home runs in a single season, only behind Carl Yastrzemski’s 57-game streak in 1972. The home run was Tatis’ first since September 27 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. After rounding the bases, Tatis received a warm welcome from his teammates in the dugout.

Despite Tatis’ efforts, the Padres fell to the Nationals with a final score of 9-4. Tatis, a three-time All-Star, is currently hitting .271 with a .670 OPS, six doubles, a triple, and now a home run this season.

Team Reactions

Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts commented on the relief Tatis must feel, suggesting that getting the home run pressure off his back will help him sleep better. “Everyone knows he has zero, so I think getting that kind of pressure off his back is nice,” Bogaerts said.

While Tatis expressed relief at breaking the streak, he acknowledged the challenges of the game, stating, “There’s no off days over here man. This game will find a way how to still punish you.”

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.