Tatis’ reaction to HR off Bauer was the best

LOS ANGELES — As if this Padres-Dodgers rivalry weren’t fun enough already …

On the second pitch of Saturday’s game between the two National League West rivals, Tatis demolished a fastball from the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner into the left-field pavilion, his ninth career leadoff blast.

Then, as Tatis rounded first base, he did his best Bauer impersonation.

During Spring Training, Bauer made a habit of throwing pitches with one eye closed. He first did so in a Cactus League game against the Padres. After recording an inning-ending strikeout while doing so, Bauer left the field, covering his eye.

Evidently, Tatis remembered. When his first blast left the yard Saturday night, he turned toward the Padres’ dugout — and covered his eye with his right hand. Tatis then took Bauer deep again in the sixth and this time, he busted out a version of Bauer’s strikeout strut while he crossed home plate.

Tatis wasn’t done providing the theatrics this weekend. His first homer on Saturday night left his bat at 103.7 mph, travelling a projected 387 feet, according to Statcast. It was Tatis’ first career hit against Bauer in four at-bats.

Tatis wasn’t in the lineup on March 5, the day Bauer pitched parts of an inning with his eye closed against the Padres. Bauer was asked about it after that start:

“I figured if they can’t score off me with one eye open, it’s going to be difficult to score off me with two eyes open,” Bauer joked. “Just having a little bit of fun.”

Difficult, maybe. Unless you’re Fernando Tatis Jr.

After a slow start to the season, safe to say Tatis is back. He’d missed 10 days while on the injured list with a partially dislocated left shoulder and entered this weekend’s series hitting just .154 with two home runs.

But Tatis altered his swing to a more compact version with a two-handed follow-through, which has worked wonders. And lately there have been other signs of a breakout, too.

“You start to see that big smile and you see the body language and the swagger and the energy coming back over the last couple days,” said Padres manager Jayce Tingler.

Indeed, Tatis’ swagger is officially back. He’s hitting tone-setting home runs, and he’s enjoying the heck out of them — as Tatis does.