Every offseason, Fernando Tatis Jr. makes a trip back to his home in the Dominican Republic to reset himself after the grind of a 162-game Major League Baseball marathon.

“I enjoy home like I always do, recharge and disconnect a little bit,” says Tatis Jr.  “Healthwise I feel really good and, I’m in really great shape.”

For a 27-year-old, he has a long injury history, so feeling good physically is a great first step. Nobody has ever questioned his talent, which is simply off the charts. What’s been missing from Tati’s career so far is consistency. Last year was a perfect example.

He came out of the gates like a man possessed, ripping eight home runs in his first 21 games and looking like a threat to dethrone Shohei Ohtani as the best player in the game. Then, the struggles began.

Tatis Jr. hit just 10 homers over his next 113 games as his power seemed to simply disappear. Just as soon as it left, the pop was back. Fernando crushed seven bombs in 20 games down the stretch, helping push the Padres back into the playoffs. So, what happened in between power surges?

“Mechanical, more than anything else. It was actually more about trusting a process,” says Tais Jr.

One of the fascinating things about baseball is how minute changes can have monumental impacts. In a nutshell, Tati lost the timing between his arms and legs. When he’s getting his front foot down and keeping his hands back, he detonates baseballs. When he starts to come forward before his foundation is set, bat speed wanes and things go haywire. It’s something he’s spent the winter addressing.

“I definitely feel that’s definitely behind us and I know this year on the offensive side is going to be really special,” says Tatis Jr.

But, even more than mechanics, the two-time Silver Slugger winner’s biggest battle can be with controlling emotions. He told me last year that when his head is in the right place, he’s second to none on the baseball field. For a big chunk of last year, his head was somewhere else.

So, is it back in the right place in 2026?

“It is,” says Tatis Jr. “It is. And I’m looking forward to keeping going as a player and as a man. Like I said, my best years are definitely ahead. I mean, this year’s is going to be one of those, but there’s no limit. Now it’s due to myself to show you guys that.”

If he does, he’ll turn in one of the greatest single seasons in baseball history, and the Padres will be right back in the postseason again.