Fernando Tatís Jr. will share the field with one of his oldest friends this weekend when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays visit Petco Park.
The two Dominican stars have known each other since childhood. Their fathers were teammates in Montreal. Both were born in 1999. Both debuted in MLB in 2019, less than a month apart.
How did Fernando Tatís Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. become friends?
Their bond goes back decades. Tatís Jr. grew up around big-league clubhouses while his father played. Guerrero Jr. did the same.
They shared the field for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic this past spring. That experience brought them even closer.
“We’ve known each other since we were kids,” Tatís said. “We know our families. It’s not that we were best friends growing up, but we always knew each other.”
What do they talk about?
Not baseball. At least, not much.
Tatís and Guerrero don’t talk every day. When they do, it’s about life. How are you doing? How’s the family? That kind of thing.
Both started this season with notable power outages at the plate. They might have had notes to compare. But mostly, they keep it personal.
“We grew closer when we were teenagers and our careers have kind of blended together a little bit,” Tatís said. “It’s been very nice.”
What does this reunion mean for the Padres?
The Blue Jays are in San Diego for a weekend series starting July 10. Tatís and Guerrero will face off as opponents, not teammates.
Tatís is 27 years old and in his prime. Guerrero is the same age. Both are cornerstones of their franchises.
For Padres fans, it’s a chance to see two of the game’s most electric players share a diamond. For Tatís, it’s a reminder of the friendships that baseball builds.
What comes next?
The series runs through the weekend. Tatís and Guerrero will likely exchange hugs before first pitch and maybe a few words after.
Their careers have run parallel since they were kids. That won’t change anytime soon.