Bullish prediction for Fernando Tatís Jr. bodes well for Padres' 2025 season

Fernando Tatís Jr. is a superstar. He's one of the game's most exciting players who is capable of taking over a game with one swing of the bat. With five seasons under his belt, Tatís has been named an All-Star twice with the Padres, earning Silver Slugger honors two times and a Gold Glove once. He's one of the most recognizable faces in the sport, but we may not have seen his fullest potential come to life just yet.

As the offseason moves along, predictions and rumors have kept fans enamored by what could come next. MLB.com's latest set of predictions has Tatís being named the 2025 NL MVP, which would have San Diego jumping for joy if it were to come true. What does Tatís need to do in order for his first MVP to come to fruition? Would it help the collective success of the Padres?

What Fernando Tatís Jr. needs to do to win NL MVP in 2025

In baseball, it's about how you start and how you finish. A strong April for any player already gets MVP discussions buzzing in their favor, unless your name is Aaron Judge and you can bat over .400 in a month with almost 40 RBI's. In most cases, holding a steady slash line month-to-month is key for writers to fall back on when they consider who to vote for during awards season. It's also crucial to end the regular season on a strong note, especially when your respective club is making a playoff push. The closing act stands out the most, which helped Francisco Lindor with his MVP argument this past season, although he ultimately did not win.

For Tatís, the two worst statistical months of his career are the first and last ones. He's a career .262 hitter in March/April with an .838 OPS (which is not terrible). In September/October, he holds a .247 career average and .786 OPS. If he's making his MVP imprint in the middle of the season, those watered down metrics to begin and close out the year keep him out of legitimate contention. If Tatís wants to win an MVP, he must be a superstar right out of the gate and carry it into each month. Fortunately, he was strong this past September, which could foreshadow his ability to continue to perform in the high-pressure games.

Now, if Tatís is able to pull this off, then the Padres as a whole would benefit from a consistent superstar output. The gauntlet of the National League is only getting stronger with the Dodgers, Mets, and Diamondbacks consistently signing the best players in the game. When September rolls around, San Diego will likely be amidst a dogfight for a division title or the top seed in the postseason with these other clubs, so someone like Tatís could be what puts the Padres over. If he can be the catalyst of a strong lineup down the stretch and play like a runaway MVP, then the Friars can be expected to win much more often. It's a win-win.

Fernando Tatís Jr. has finished in the top 4 of the NL MVP voting two times. He has proven himself to be one of the best in the game on both sides of the ball, but he just needs to show a bit more consistently. If he can be that guy in each game, then it would be difficult to leave him out of the MVP conversation moving forward.