Fernando Tatis Jr. cooling as Gavin Sheets heating up – San Diego Union-Tribune

4 weeks agoLast Updated: May 25, 2025

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Gavin Sheets picked a good time to try to put the team on his back.

Because Fernando Tatis Jr. is in the middle of funk that has him sitting on a .677 OPS over his last 17 games heading into Saturday’s 1:10 p.m. start in Atlanta.

Tatis continues to lead the team in homers (12), runs (37) and OPS (.888), and he has four homers over the last 20 games. But he’s also hitting .200 with a .263 on-base percentage as the team’s leadoff hitter, which might have something to do with the Padres’ 7-10 record over that stretch.

Tatis has just two two-hit games since May 4 and five 0-fors

Tatis went 1-for-4 with a double on Friday but still finished the game with a season-low .289 batting average. It was .342 on May 3.

Sheets, meanwhile, is hitting .290/.313/.581 with five homers over the same stretch. His 15 RBIs include a five-RBI game on Thursday that helped him take over the team lead with 29 runs driven in.

His solo homer off left-hander Chris Sale evened the score on Friday and further solidified Sheets’ push to be considered an everyday guy.

Sheets will serve as the DH and bat sixth, while Tatis remains in the leadoff spot.

Jake Cronenworth is back at second base after sitting against Sale on Friday. He’ll bat seventh, ahead of catcher Elias Díaz and left fielder Brandon Lockridge in yet another start against a right-hander.

Lockridge is hitting .203/.254/.271 on the season and that’s still better than Jason Heyward (.176/.223/.271), who continues to lose at-bats against right-handed pitching too.

Saturday matinee. pic.twitter.com/BKvScrjvN7

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 24, 2025

Friday’s win snapped a six-game losing streak, but the Padres (28-21) are still in third in the NL West, three games behind the Dodgers.

Here is how the Braves (24-26, 3rd in NL East) will line up for Game 2 as they look for their first win this season against the Padres:

Holmes on the hill.#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/Dj5tswxhSg

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 24, 2025

Saturday’s pitching matchup

Padres RHP Michael King (4-2, 2.59 ERA)

King has a 3.71 ERA over his last three starts, striking out 18 against five walks over 17 innings. He has a 3.63 ERA in three starts this year away from Petco Park. King did not factor in the decision in his opening-day start against the Braves (2⅔ IP, 3 ER). His only other appearance against Atlanta was throwing 3⅔ shutout innings in relief in 2023.

Here is how King has fared against current Braves:

Braves RHP Grant Holmes (2-3, 4.01 ERA)

The 29-year-old has thrown quality starts in three of his last four trips to the mound (3.42 ERA), but has also allowed five home runs over that stretch. He threw a scoreless inning in relief at the Padres in March in San Diego, striking out two in the process. That is Holmes’ only appearance against the Padres.

Here is how Holmes has fared against current Padres: