Fernando Tatis Jr. is going through a power drought in 2026. He isn’t ineffective, but he hasn’t been able to justify his elite superstar status so far. It hasn’t really mattered for the Padres since they have a good record this season. But an MLB analyst thinks they should act before it’s too late.

“Is there a change of scenery that would work for Fernando Tatis Jr. with the Padres?” Greg Amsinger aired a wild theory this Saturday.

The San Diego Padres are 19-13 this season. They are in a good position in the NL West, comfortably sitting just below the Dodgers. So why is Tatis Jr. becoming a talking point all of a sudden? Simply because his power has just vanished. He has scored 12 runs from 31 hits in 32 games. But the number of home runs that came from his bat is sitting at big, round zero. 

We are talking about a guy who hit a homer every 5.2 games last season and had a career-best 42 homers in 2021. He has not hit a single one from 119 at-bats in 2026, and for him, the drop off is alarming. That’s what influenced Amsinger to speculate whether the 27-year-old right fielder needs a change of scenery. 

According to the analyst, Fernando can be better off in a different region in the same league. Although the discussion on the MLB Network was a big “what if” banter, Greg’s money is on the Mets. He even justified his speculation by theorizing a swap between Tatis and Francisco Lindor.

Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a 14-year, $340 million contract with the Padres in 2021. That means in 2026, he has nine years and $286 million remaining. Amsinger’s co-host, Harold Reynolds, was highly doubtful if the Mets would be able to or even willing to take over that huge contract. He thought the Mets would need to throw in Juan Soto as well, to match the deal.

Now, Lindor, similar to Tatis, signed a $341 million contract with New York in 2021. But it was a 10-year deal. He has five years and $189 million remaining. Soto signed a historic 15-year, $765 million deal in 2024.

That means, if the Mets decide to hand over Lindor and Soto for Tatis Jr., they would have to worry about taking over a huge contract. Instead, they will have a surplus as the Padres will be taking over an $800 million deal. They can use that money to overhaul their roster with ease.

The Padres have lost the last four games. And Tatis Jr. scored only one run from 14 at-bats in those games. Amsinger suggests that the Padres make a hard decision before it turns ugly. But while his solution looks intriguing, it is entirely hypothetical with little to no chance of actually happening. 

Mets’ struggles and Lindor’s status add context to trade buzz

The idea is strange, but the Mets’ ongoing record of 11-22 with just three series wins makes it a somewhat viable option. There is a huge noise in New York surrounding the leadership and management of the Mets. The fans have been ready to get rid of Carlos Mendoza for some time. 

At the same time, there has been some noise around Francisco Lindor, too. There were reports of a possible clubhouse rift generated from friction between Lindor and other teammates. According to reports, players like Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, and even Soto had poor chemistry with Lindor. Now that McNeil and Nimmo have departed, the noise has come down a bit, but it’s not entirely gone. 

So, offloading a supposedly problematic player can benefit the team that is stuck at the bottom of the NL East. Lindor has recorded 14 runs with 2 HRs from 24 games. On paper, he is a better alternative to Tatis Jr. for the Padres at this point. 

However, Fernando Tatis Jr. has a no-trade clause in his contract. And the player himself hasn’t expressed any will to change teams. Although he is going through a home run drought, it’s less plausible that Tatis Jr. would want to join the Mets, particularly this season. Lindor is currently on IL, and despite the noise, the front office hasn’t hinted at any possible moves for him yet. 

Swapping Tatis with Soto and Lindor is even more unlikely. Even with the disastrous situation they are going through, it would be very odd for the Mets to trade away two of their biggest names.

The Padres are winning. With their current record, they are projected to win over 82 games this season. Although San Diego failed to make the playoffs despite 90 wins last season, there is no urgency in the team. The Padres fans are sure Tatis Jr. will overcome his recent slump pretty soon.