Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. drops 2-word truth bomb on rising gun after Yankees opt out

Although he did not start for the San Diego Padres on Sunday, right-hander Jeremiah Estrada made a significant impact on the mound. By helping the Padres defeat the Yankees 5-2, Estrada made his Padres teammate Fernando Tatis Jr. an even bigger fan.

In just 1.2 innings, Estrada struck out five Yankees and became the winning pitcher of record. Estrada's performance raised his season ERA to 0.59 and had Tatis all kinds of excited, via the Associated Press.

“He’s mean,” Tatis said. “He's locked in right now, he's pounding the zone, he's not afraid of who comes to the plate and the guy believes in him right now. I'm really happy for him where he is right now.

San Diego claimed Estrada from the Chicago Cubs in November. He pitched to a 6.75 ERA and 13/12 K/BB ratio in 2023, leading Chicago to cut him from its 40-man roster. With an overall ERA of 5.51 in his two seasons with the Cubs, it didn't seem like Estrada would be a high-value addition on waivers.

However, the Padres' gamble has largely paid off early in the 2024 season. Through his first 11 appearances – consisting of 15.1 innings – Estrada owns a 25/4 K/BB ratio alongside his sparkling ERA . He earned his first career save in San Diego and appears to be a staple in the bullpen at the moment.

Even though Estrada can't do everything alone, Fernando Tatis Jr knows how important he was in the final rounds. At .500, San Diego needs as many wins as possible to stay afloat with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

As long as the right-hander stays hot, manager Mike Shildt will continue to call his number. When Tatis watches the pitching change happen, he feels confident every time Estrada takes the mound.

Rise of Jeremiah Estrada, place in Padres bullpen

Estrada was drafted in the sixth round by the Cubs in 2017. The following year, he was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery. And in 2020, Estrada missed the entire season due to CO-VID19. But ever resilient, Estrada's 2022 season saw him move from High-A to Triple-A.

During that span, he posted a 1.30 ERA and a 78/20 K/BB ratio while converting seven saves. Estrada earned his first MLB call-up the following season and appeared in five games. While it was only five games, Estrada looked impressive with a 3.18 ERA and an 8/3 K/BB ratio.

Unfortunately for him, that didn't carry over to 2023. But things didn't end badly, as Estrada is now poised to become a key member of San Diego's bullpen.

Robert Suarez has a stranglehold on the closer role, as he has converted 15 saves in 2024. Estrada is the only other Padre to record a save. Adrian Morejon and Wandy Peralta have become reliable weapons with ERAs of 2.29 and 2.95 respectively. Yuki Matusi is not far behind with a 3.13.

Overall, San Diego ranks eighth in reliever ERA with a mark of 3.56. But Jeremiah Estrada has proven he can carve out a niche for himself. With his dominant performance against the Yankees, the right-hander has only staked his claim further than he belongs in the major leagues.

Fernando Tatis Jr. leads the Estrada train the next time he gets a late-inning opportunity.