Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. drops ‘I can do everything’ response to lineup question

The San Diego Padres opened their 2026 Cactus League schedule Friday with a notable adjustment to the lineup. Fernando Tatis Jr. batted cleanup vs. the Seattle Mariners, signaling a potential shift under newly hired manager Craig Stammen, who took over during the offseason, as spring training got underway in Peoria for the Padres.

Stammen rolled out a top four of Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado, and Tatis. Although the Padres dropped their first exhibition game of spring training 7-4 to the Mariners, the batting order generated more buzz than the final score. Stammen later cautioned against reading too much into the first Cactus League batting order but acknowledged that he was considering sticking with the lineup tweak once the regular season starts.

Tatis has frequently hit leadoff throughout his career for the team, acting as a catalyst at the top of the lineup. However, the Padres may be seeking more middle-of-the-order power in 2026. The two-time Platinum Glove winner drew a career-high 89 walks last season while posting a .446 slugging percentage—the lowest mark of his career. The organization is looking for him to rediscover his elite power while maintaining his strong on-base production.

During spring training, Tatis addressed the lineup change in a video shared by 97.3 The Fan on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“I can do everything in the lineup, so not afraid of it.”

Fernando Tatis Jr. on hitting cleanup in today’s Cactus League opener:

“I can do everything in the lineup, so not afraid of it.” pic.twitter.com/tNMKADz2ST

— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) February 20, 2026

His brief response underscored his willingness to adapt and embrace any role San Diego asks of him as they experiment with lineup combinations early in camp.

During its coverage of the session, the station shared the confident quote on social media and attributed it directly to the superstar outfielder.

That confidence gives Stammen valuable flexibility as the Padres continue evaluating their lineup throughout spring training. Whether Tatis remains in the cleanup spot or eventually shifts back to leadoff, his performance will be pivotal in shaping San Diego’s offense in the 2026 season.

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