ATLANTA. Dominican Fernando Tatis Jr. continues to be on fire with the bat, and this Tuesday he hit the longest home run of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, an impressive 474-foot blast, to guide the San Diego Padres to an 8-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.
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The home run came in the eighth inning off a slider from reliever JR Ritchie and represented Tatis’ third homer in his last four games, as well as his eighth of the season. The hit surpassed the 473-foot blast by catcher Drake Baldwin by one foot, becoming the longest home run recorded this year in the Majors.
“It’s beautiful to feel that, to see that ball come off the bat,” Tatis expressed after the game. The outfielder noted that this was the second-longest home run of his career, surpassed only by a 477-foot shot hit at Coors Field in 2021, although he assured that the most special one remains the one he hit completely out of Dodger Stadium that same year.
The Dominican finished the day 5-3, with a double and a home run. Since May 22nd, he is batting .325, with an OPS of .891, confirming the great offensive moment he is going through after a slow start to the season.
The San Diego manager highlighted Tatis’s ability to overcome difficulties.
“We know that Fernando Tatis Jr. is one of the most talented ballplayers in the world. Everyone goes through difficult times and he has known how to move forward,” stated manager Craig Stammen.
The Padres’ offense also received contributions from Manny Machado, who hit two home runs, and Jackson Merrill, who connected for a home run and two hits. It was the first time this season that the club’s three main offensive figures homered in the same game.
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