'152 Home Runs' Kim Ha-seong's Close Friend, MLB Superstar, 32 Games Without a Home Run: 'Mystery' → U.S. Also Puzzled by 'Bizarre Phenomenon'

*This content was translated by AI.

Fernando Tatis Jr. (27, San Diego Padres), a flagship 'superstar' of Major League Baseball (MLB) and well-known in Korea as Kim Ha-seong's (31, Atlanta Braves) 'close friend,' has fallen into an unusual slump, failing to taste success for over a month since the season opener.

U.S. data specialist 'Codyfy Baseball' highlighted Tatis Jr.'s name on the second (Korean time) via its official social media, spotlighting "MLB players with no home runs among those with 110 or more at-bats this season."

Currently, only three players with 110 or more at-bats have no home runs. Among them are Luis Arraez (San Francisco Giants), a teammate of Lee Jung-hoo (28), the three-time batting champion and "archetype of contact hitters," and Chandler Simpson (Tampa Bay Rays), known for his speed. Their lack of power is understandable given their focus on contact over extra-base hits. However, Tatis Jr.'s inclusion is highly unexpected.

Tatis Jr. is a representative power hitter who hit 42 home runs in the 2021 season to claim the National League (NL) home run title. Since his debut season, he has shown the standard of a 'five-tool player' with 22 home runs, and over the past three seasons, he has consistently recorded 20 or more home runs, playing a key role as the team's central batter. He also hit 25 home runs in the previous 2025 season.

Even more mysterious is the quality of his batted balls. According to Baseball Savant, the official MLB statistics site, Tatis Jr.'s Hard Hit rate (batted balls at 95 mph or faster) this season ranks in the top 1% of MLB. While the ball still launches off the bat with the same power as his prime, not a single one has cleared the fence.

The statistics are equally dismal. Despite signing a massive 14-year, $340 million (approximately 502.1 billion won) contract with San Diego ahead of the 2021 season, the star batter has recorded a .261 batting average (119 at-bats, 31 hits), 0 home runs, 13 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.644 in 32 games. Notably, his slugging percentage (0.311) differs from his batting average by only about 50 points, vividly illustrating the severity of his power outage. In short, Tatis Jr. has become a 'single hitter' this season, producing only singles instead of extra-base hits.

Local fans and experts are visibly baffled. Upon hearing the news, local fans have expressed concern, saying, "It's unbelievable that Tatis has zero home runs," "He's in the top 1% for Hard Hit, so why can't he clear the fence?" and "He seems to have become an ordinary hitter."

As Tatis Jr., who should be the heart of San Diego alongside his former teammate Kim Ha-seong, faces the question of when he will break his silence and activate his home run power, the eyes of baseball fans worldwide are fixed on the end of his bat.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.