Why is Tatis Jr. not hitting home runs despite hitting the ball hard?
Changes in his stance, timing, directional contact, and launch angle are contributing to his lack of power.
MLB / Player Analysis
Fernando Tatis Jr. is known for his power, but in the early part of the 2026 season, he's in a strange situation. Despite hitting the ball extremely hard, ranking among the league leaders in hard-hit rate, he has yet to hit a home run. This...
Fernando Tatis Jr.'s power outage is a puzzling development given his demonstrated ability to hit the ball with extreme force. Several factors contribute to this anomaly:
**Directional Contact:** Tatis Jr. is using the whole field more than ever, pulling the ball only 20.8% of the time, significantly below his career average. This approach results in more singles but fewer home runs.
**Launch Angle and Fly Balls:** He is hitting the ball on the ground at a career-high rate of 52.1%, while his fly ball rate has dropped to 16.7%, well below the league average. This combination of directional contact and launch angle issues significantly reduces his chances of hitting home runs.
**Stance and Timing:** Tatis Jr.'s stance has become more closed off, and his attack angle has decreased, leading to difficulties against fastballs. He's getting overwhelmed by four-seamers, resulting in a lower batting average and slugging percentage against this pitch.
**Plate Approach:** Tatis Jr.'s intercept point is much closer to the plate than normal, which explains the change in contact direction. His sprint speed is right in line with the past couple of years. He’s not broken. He’s just been the worst parts of his previous selves in 2026.
Despite these issues, the fact that Tatis Jr. is still hitting the ball hard suggests that he has the potential to turn things around. Adjustments to his stance, timing, and approach at the plate could lead to a resurgence in his power numbers.
Changes in his stance, timing, directional contact, and launch angle are contributing to his lack of power.
While concerning, his elite hard-hit rate suggests that he can make adjustments to regain his power.
Opening his stance, improving his timing against fastballs, and focusing on pulling the ball in the air could help.
Do you think Tatis Jr. will regain his power stroke? What adjustments do you think he needs to make? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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