Fernando Tatis Jr. had just filled up the box score in the All-Star Futures Game last July when he strolled into Mastro’s Steakhouse in Washington. He was 19 years old. He had half a year of Double-A ball on his resume. The dinner on the eve of the Midsummer Classic had been arranged by Dan Lozano’s MVP Sports Group, and Manny Machado, Joey Votto and Jesus Aguilar were among the attendees.

One of the agency’s youngest players could not resist sharing something with the American League’s starting shortstop.

You’re my favorite player.

Last week at Petco Park, a mere nine months after that dinner, Tatis and Machado were snapping photos on the field after an MVP Sports Group representative delivered two framed, oversized reproductions of the Sports Illustrated cover featuring the two new teammates sharing a laugh. The headline reads, “Who’s Your Padre?”


“It’s a small world,” Tatis said with a smile.

Between Manny Machado and super-prospect Fernando Tatis Jr., the @Padres are one of baseball’s most thrilling young teams https://t.co/pGRVnXYpUv pic.twitter.com/5w38gh4D9J — Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 20, 2019

It spins fast, too.

One of the first milestones of Tatis’ budding career — Homer Ball No. 1 — will reside in his father’s house in the Dominican Republic. The gift from his agency has a spot reserved in the movie theater in Tatis’ own home in San Pedro de Macoris, where there’s plenty of room for the souvenirs he’s sure to accumulate in the start to a promising career.


The Padres’ 20-year-old shortstop is riding a 10-game hitting streak into Tuesday’s meeting with the Mariners. He was already the youngest player to start on opening day in two decades; he became the youngest player to ever collect a homer and three steals in a one game on Friday, and he leads the Padres in homers (6), RBIs (13), OPS (.954) and steals (4).

Indeed, that’s one way to fit in.

Of course, early on, the seemingly seamless transition for Tatis to the big leagues transcends his production between the lines and the eye-opening defensive gems that dot social media timelines. He’s been doing it all while smiling and yucking it up alongside a four-time All-Star he’d been compared to as an up-and-coming prospect.

Take, for instance, the scene that unfolded before the start of the ninth inning Sunday afternoon.


Kirby Yates jogged onto the mound with a one-run lead and the Padres on the verge of snapping a six-game skid that erased an 11-5 start to the year.

Catcher Austin Hedges had sent the ball around the horn after Yates’ final warm-up pitch. When it arrived to Tatis, who was standing between second and third base, the Padres’ shortstop turned toward Machado, paused and leg-kicked in a windup to uncork a fastball toward Machado. The momentum of the delivery knocked the Padres’ $300 million man back a half-step. The 26-year-old third baseman then feigned a retaliatory throw as the shortstop bolted toward center field like a kid evading “It” in a game of tag before tossing the ball to Yates.

“I think that’s been going on for a little over a week,” Yates said with a chuckle after saving a 4-3 win over the Reds. “I think it’s kind of funny.”

Added Padres manager Andy Green: “They are jawing with each other all day. I have no clue what they are saying … but you can see the emotions coming out. They are enjoying being next to each other. They are enjoying playing together. They are enjoying challenging each other, trying to one up one another. It goes a long way.”


From Green’s view, it’s all very reminiscent of the playful dynamics between Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus during their eight-year stay on the left side of the Texas Rangers infield.

The Padres’ tandem, on the other hand, is only eight weeks into a partnership that at times looks several years in the making. Last fall, Machado was leaving tickets to a Dodgers-Diamondbacks game for Tatis. On Sunday, Machado was playfully bumping into Tatis as he ran out for warm-up throws, almost as if they’d always been on the same level.

Tatis shakes his head with a smile at the suggestion.

“I don’t think he’ll ever be a regular guy,” Tatis said. “He’s an All-Star. He makes the game seem easier. Standing next to a guy like that, he’s never a regular guy.”


Yet there they are most games applauding each other’s impossible feats, jockeying for position on grounders in the hole and smiling, laughing and teasing between plays.

“That’s beautiful,” Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer said. “The guy’s 20 years old in the big leagues and it looks like there’s no pressure. He’s playing and having fun. He’s loose. Manny’s a big part of that.”

Behind the scenes, placing their lockers next to each other in the home clubhouse was no accident as the Padres, surprisingly, decided to fast-forward the start of Tatis’ career. After all, Machado was once a 20-year-old shortstop making his major league debut for a fledgling franchise hoping to turn the corner.

J.J. Hardy was Machado’s guidepost then in Baltimore.


Machado considers this his opportunity to pay it forward to the teenager he met just nine months ago.

“There’s a lot of things that when you look back, when you get older, when you look at those moments, you’re going to cherish them,” Machado said Sunday afternoon. “At the end of the day, you enjoy what comes your way and it’s been fun so far, fun watching him grow, fun watching him take off and take on all these tough, tough duties.”

