NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS DODGERS

October 6, 2024

Fernando Tatis Jr.

Dodger Stadium

San Diego Padres

Postgame 2 Press Conference

Padres - 10, Dodgers - 2

Q. How would you characterize your relationship with fans at Dodger Stadium?

FERNANDO TATIS: Wild. Oh, man, it's definitely wild out here. But at the same time it's a good environment for baseball. Although people get carried away a little bit with their emotions. But it's a good back and forth. At the end of the day, it's a show, and we should enjoy every moment.

Q. Did you feel that what took place in the top of the seventh inning with the things coming on the field, security?

FERNANDO TATIS: Like I said, their emotions are going through the roof. Dodger fans, they were just not happy. They're losing the game, obviously, and just a lot of back and forth. What can I say? I wish they could control it a little bit more their emotions. But at the end of the day I see this as part of a game.

Q. I know you often hear it from fans in right field. I know you often hear it from fans in right field. Did today seem, in your mind, to go over the line? And at what point did it escalate between you and the fans tonight?

FERNANDO TATIS: For me, I feel like when it went over the line, when they started throwing stuff onto the field. I felt like that should not be happening in a big league game.

Then the words, fans are coming over here to a baseball park to enjoy themselves. They can say whatever they want, I don't really mind. I started chipping back.

I'll give you a moment of where you can enjoy yourself just me talking to you as a fan. I just see it that way, and I embrace it that way.

Q. In that seventh inning when a couple of balls got thrown in Jurickson Profar's direction, you all gathered together in left field. Why did you come together at that moment?

FERNANDO TATIS: Just a lot of stuff going on at that time. We have to stay together in a moment like that as a team. And the group we are, we obviously are staying together. And we saw our boy Profar getting balls thrown at him.

He has a right to be mad. But at the end of the day we understand we're on a mission, and stuff like that is going to happen. We just come together as a group as quick as possible and we talk stuff. Man, we just keep grinding like we just did.

Q. In a short series, fair to say this is a game your team had to have? Tell me about your night and getting the team started with a first inning homer and hitting two home runs in a playoff game?

FERNANDO TATIS: Just our mindset. How we are coming out of the gate with our foot on the pedal since the beginning. That's one thing that we have been doing since the entire year.

So we're definitely not changing that and we're just adding more pressure. And that's what we're capable of as a group. And we're going to keep with that mentality.

Q. You talked about the environment and playing in this ballpark. You historically played very well here. I think you have the most homers outside of Petco here. Is there something about this ballpark that brings out the best in you?

FERNANDO TATIS: Just the energy that's over here in Dodger Stadium. Everybody knows that the type of game that we're playing, the players from the other side. Just the talent through the roof. And ourselves, the same way.

So every time you're playing against the best, obviously you want to come out on top and you definitely want to show who you really are.

Q. Can you go over how you thought Yu Darvish was pitching today?

FERNANDO TATIS: It was amazing. It was really beautiful seeing him pitch that way in a postseason game, especially knowing what he went through all this season. He's coming back, dealing with injuries and coming back and performing in a critical game for us the way he did. He definitely set the tone for us. And he gave us the opportunity to play the game that we did today. And just happy for my boy right now.

Q. Did you realize Profar caught that ball? And if so when did you realize?

FERNANDO TATIS: I did not. I was probably like everybody else, had that question mark until he started jumping back, then he showed the ball. My emotions went through the roof. I was screaming at him.

I definitely knew he wasn't listening to me but I was still screaming at him. Just happy how we're playing this game right now.

Q. I know Jackson has done similar stuff all year, but has he shown you anything in October what he's done on this stage?

FERNANDO TATIS: He's just going to show up and ball. What this kid has done for this team this year is just amazing. His talent is unbelievable, his character. I feel like everybody can see it, what type of baseball player he is.

Obviously he's a great human, but, man, he's 21, and the way he's playing baseball, I can definitely see something great in him. I just wish him nothing but the best.

Q. What can you tell us about the meeting that Manny called in the dugout after that seventh inning?

FERNANDO TATIS: Like we've all been talking, just a lot of stuff going on at the moment. We just gathered up together and we told each other, especially Manny, to control our emotions, especially him when he was chipping at the starting pitcher from their side.

But just regroup, resettle. The game was on our side. We know what we're capable of. And, man, it was just a reminder who we really are as a group and just how crazy we can turn a place to go nuts. That's all it was about.

Q. The thing that led up to the commotion it appeared to be the pitch that hit you -- a lot of talking between Manny and Flaherty after that. How did you feel about that pitch?

FERNANDO TATIS: It was a two-seamer. The game is on the line. I know my boys have my back the entire time and everybody saw it tonight.

But in the end of the game we're playing baseball. It's too early in the game to be doing stuff like that. There's too much of an important series just to be throwing at guys. That's what I understand. That's what my IQ of baseball is telling me.

When he hit me, he just gave me more energy. My boys gave me more energy. And I know from there we're just going to embrace that moment and just take that energy on our side and just play baseball how we did tonight.