The rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres has always been one of the most fiery in Major League Baseball. A recent series between these two clubs just cranked the heat up another notch.
There were eight combined hit batters, a bench-clearing altercation, and Fernando Tatis Jr.’s wrist injury. Then a Reddit user noticed something odd—Tatis Jr.’s commemorative home run plaque at Dodger Stadium had vanished.
At first, it sounded like a weird bit of gossip. But the missing plaque quickly sparked new debates about Tatis’ electrifying power and the sometimes unforgiving hostility between these two teams.
A Missing Plaque Sparks Curiosity
For baseball fans, Dodger Stadium isn’t just some ballpark—it’s a living museum packed with milestones and memories. Plaques marking historic home runs by legends like Mark McGwire and Mike Piazza are part of the stadium’s soul.
Among those was a plaque for Fernando Tatis Jr.’s jaw-dropping 467-foot home run on September 30, 2021. Only six homers have ever left Dodger Stadium, so it’s a big deal. But during last week’s heated series, a Reddit user pointed out that Tatis’ plaque had disappeared.
The Dodgers’ Official Explanation
The Dodgers responded pretty quickly when asked about the missing plaque. They said it got damaged and would be replaced before the next homestand.
No one seems quite sure what happened to it, though, and fans started speculating. The stadium still displays plaques for McGwire and Piazza, so Tatis’ missing commemoration just adds to the mystery.
The History-Making Homerun: A Memory Worth Preserving
Fernando Tatis Jr.’s home run on September 30, 2021, was a jaw-dropper. It was the sixth—and most recent—ball to ever leave Dodger Stadium, joining a legendary club that includes Giancarlo Stanton, Mark McGwire, Piazza, and Willie Stargell.
Tatis pulled this off early in his career, which only makes it more impressive. Pulling off something like that against the Dodgers? That’s the stuff of legend.
Tatis’ Numbers at Dodger Stadium
Statistically, Tatis seems to thrive at Dodger Stadium—even if he’s admitted he doesn’t enjoy playing there. In 38 regular-season games, he’s hit 14 home runs, more than anywhere else except Petco Park.
He’s also batting .297 there with a slugging percentage of .579. The 24-year-old superstar just knows how to put on a show, even if the crowd isn’t exactly welcoming.
Rivalry Fuel: Hostility and Risks
The Dodgers-Padres rivalry has gotten nastier in recent years, thanks to both teams being contenders and stars like Tatis in the mix. This series took it up a notch, with eight batters hit.
Tatis took the worst of it on Thursday, when Dodgers rookie Jack Little hit him on the wrist with a 93-mph fastball. That was the third time in ten days Tatis got plunked by a Dodger.
Health Concern Clouds Tatis’ Future
Initial X-rays on Tatis’ wrist didn’t show a fracture, but he later called the results “kind of inconclusive.” He hinted that more medical imaging was coming just to be sure.
Tatis has already had his share of injuries, and fans can’t help but wonder: Are these inside pitches just bad luck, or is something else going on?
Looking Ahead: Another Showdown in August
The tension between the Dodgers and Padres isn’t going anywhere, and their next matchup in August is already circled on a lot of calendars. Both teams are chasing playoff spots, and this rivalry keeps producing fireworks on and off the field.
With stars like Tatis and the stubborn friction between these clubs, you get the feeling this bad blood is here to stay.
The Plaque’s Return and What It Represents
The Dodgers say they’ll reinstall Tatis’ home run plaque soon. Its brief disappearance feels like a symbol for the tension that always seems to follow his career in L.A.
Is the missing plaque just a mix-up, or does it hint at the friction between Tatis and maybe his biggest rival? Either way, Tatis’ highlights—and this Dodgers-Padres rivalry—aren’t going anywhere.
We’ll see what happens with the plaque, Tatis’ recovery, and whatever wild story these teams cook up next. That’s baseball, right?
Here is the source article for this story: Fernando Tatis Jr.’s Dodger Stadium home run plaque to be reinstalled after damage
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