NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS BREWERS

October 6, 2026

Fernando Tatis

Petco Park

San Diego Padres

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Obviously it's a win-or-go-home scenario, both here tonight and if you can get to a Game 4 and a Game 5. What is your mindset personally entering this game?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: Simple. I'm ready. We're ready as a group. We know it's a challenge out there, but like I said in Spanish, it's a day at a time. We know how unscripted this beautiful game of baseball can be, but at the same time, we've just got to take care of business.

So one moment at a time, and we just have to go out there with a winning mindset and simply be ready to play a good game of baseball.

Q. You and your teammates throughout the season and the postseason so far have discussed the kind of energy this building in particular gives you. Can you express how nice it is to be back here in important games like this?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: Yeah, it's totally different. The fans over here, it's unbelievable. It's through the roof. It's definitely an advantage to ourself, and we're definitely going to have that momentum carrying with us today. Just looking forward to make it count.

Q. You've seen Dustin May a handful of times this year. He's pitched well against the lineup. How do you flip the script on him today and put together a better offensive performance against him?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: It's going to be a battle out there. He has evolved into a great pitcher who just had gotten better. It's a different game, different scenario, and we're just going to go out there and just going to be a great battle between great players. Just looking forward to it.

Q. When there's so much on the line in elimination game, is it important to still play loose and play free? If so, how do you do that when there's so much at stake?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: Yeah, a good balance of it. You have to stay loose. You have to be in control of yourself, but at the same time, it's a constant reminder that it's a win or go home.

We are prepared. We are ready. We have gotten better through the days. I feel like there's stuff -- we're just going to find a way to just go out there and be ourselves.

Q. Pitchers are pretty careful with you throughout the season, but how much more careful do you find that they are in the postseason with you?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: Pitching has changed, man -- I'm sorry, lady. And it's a different time. Pitchers now attack more, obviously because of how hard they throw. Just got to be ready to go out there and just choke and poke, how we say in the dugout with the boys.

It's a battle. It's definitely a really tough battle, but we're ready for the challenge. We're looking forward to it. If some players can do it, it's definitely us.

Q. Yesterday Nick Pivetta talked about how much he relishes this opportunity to play in an elimination game with all the stakes on the line like they are and how he was kind of honored to be in this situation. I'm wondering how much do you relish it, and how much do you embrace this opportunity that you have in front of you now?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: What does relish mean?

Q. Enjoy it, making the most of it, really embracing it.

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: We're on the same page. I definitely embrace the moment. It's a tough scenario, but like I've been mentioning, you look forward to these moments knowing to break out of this it's going to be a great story. First and foremost, we've got to go out there and just do the job.

Q. I think any tough period of life is usually followed by a lesson of some sort. The way you've bounced back from the start to the season, is there any lesson that you think you'll carry forward?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: We have done it. That's just the first thing that comes to my mind, that we have got better. When the moment got really rough and really tough, we've just gotten better from that scenario. So it's up to us if we're going to be writing the same story of the regular season and moving forward to the postseason, it's definitely up to us because we have done it before.

Q. And what's the value of having Jackson Merrill behind you, and what do you think he can bring to the lineup in that 2 spot?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: He's a game changer. Wherever he can be in the lineup, he can be very useful. He can be a really, really good baseball player. Wherever he's in the lineup, he can definitely make some damage.

Q. How would you describe postseason baseball in San Diego, the atmosphere?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: Electric, electric. It's a beautiful thing to see and to feel and to embrace it. It's totally different, how together we are as a whole city and how it feels in the moment. It's a really beautiful thing to see and to feel, and it's definitely something that this city deserves more.

Q. You said two nights ago in Milwaukee, there's a reason why so few teams come back from 2-0. Do you know the actual numbers of how many teams have come back from this deficit?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: I don't.

Q. 11 percent since this format started, the best of five and all that. What do you think of 11 percent? Not the lowest number, not the highest number either.

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: Yeah, those are not the best odds, but you have some numbers out there, so people have done it before. Why could we not do it?

Q. I'm sure you heard what Big Papi said on TV after that game as well. What's the reaction to him saying you guys are basically done?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: I've got no reaction, man. They get paid to talk. It's their job to find something that is going to resonate, and obviously the names are going to resonate more. People know what they are.

They have so much respect from my side for what they have done to baseball and what they mean to this baseball game, but I feel like that's something that is more like it has to be sold to the public, and that's their job. That's what they have to do.

My job over here is to play baseball and give the fans what they want, which is hopefully a W.

Q. You obviously started that Wild Card series with a home run, got the place going kind of immediately. How important is it, not necessarily to hit a first pitch homer, but to make sure you get the crowd in it quickly as you shift here?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: It's creating momentum and also just going out there to put a good at-bat for my team to get that train going, see how the starter is looking for it. I'm the first guy that's going to face any type of pitching that the starter has that day, so everything starts with me.

So I take a lot of pride. I want to go out there for the boys and just battle and go through it. You just want to go out there and put a good at-bat, and as a result, you work for the best, but we all know the game of baseball.

Q. The point was made yesterday that there's a version of this series where stories are getting around about Ty France, the ball doesn't hit the roof in Game 1, he has a couple of hits in Game 2. I feel like you have a unique perspective on Ty, you came up with him pretty much through the Minor Leagues. What it's been like for you to watch his season, what he's done this year?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: It's been a beautiful thing to watch. Like you mentioned, we came up together in the Minor Leagues. Seeing how his career started and how he has moved in this game; now seeing him establish over here on the first team that give him a chance and really just play one of the highest levels of baseball, man, it's so rewarding. Just really happy for him and his family. They're in a really good spot right now.

Q. The team dropped two very competitive games in Milwaukee. Being here Game 3, how are you and your teammates feeling knowing that you have to win the next three in order to advance?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: I just feel that we have to win, yeah.

Q. Emotionally?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: No, I mean, I'm ready. We're ready for the situation. We have been through this a lot, and we have been not on the best side of the game either. Like I mentioned earlier, it's up to us if we really want it. We definitely want it, but we're going to have to go out there and perform like it.

Q. I know you didn't want to lose those games, but can you take a step back? Those were really competitive, entertaining games, and probably the best entertainment in the playoffs so far. I would think a lot of people would love to see this thing go five games because it's such an entertaining series. Any thoughts on what the atmosphere has been like and the competition?

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: The atmosphere over here or in Milwaukee?

Q. Both, starting with Milwaukee.

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: Milwaukee, they had their fan base there, and they had a good time. Obviously it came with that walk-off that gave them a lot of momentum. But that's why you've got to win three games.

Not much, man. I don't want to get too caught up into words. We've just got to go out there and win a ballgame. Those first two games were close games, but we know as a team they were not even close for being our best games. I feel like we can reach to another level as a club. Yeah, but we just need to excel to the big moments. We've just got to go out there and win.

Q. Do you feel like you personally -- you had a real nice shot (indiscernible) Game 2. You've been seeing a lot of good pitching and a lot of velocity. Do you feel like you're on the verge of having a real good game yourself? That was a pretty good swing.

FERNANDO TATIS JR.: Yeah, I put some good swings out there, but I'm also facing elite pitching. I'm not putting that as an excuse, but that's the game. I've been trying to go out there and put the best at-bats I can. Obviously a couple have not looked the prettiest, but you look back, you recharge, and you make adjustments. That's what this game is about.