San Diego Padres: Predicting statistical leaders for 2020 season

Fernando Tatis Jr. will smack the most home runs

Manny Machado would have been the easy choice for this category. After all, the 27-year-old has averaged 34.8 home runs per year over the last five seasons, including 32 of them in 2019 in what was considered to be a down year offensively for him.

However, I am tabbing Fernando Tatis Jr. taking the home run crown for the Padres this year. The team’s rookie sensation was limited by injuries last season, including a season-ending stress reaction in his back in mid-August.

Health will be the primary concern in 2020 for Tatis, but he posted 22 home runs in 84 games in 2019. Over a 162-game span, that equates to approximately 42 home runs. I don’t expect him to play every game, but assuming he’s healthy, he should have no problem logging 150+ games this year.

Tatis was a primary contributor to the team’s overall strikeout tally, but that should ideally reduce as his experience increases. Look for him to post a monster season for the Friars.