Padres' Tatis favors robbing home runs over hitting them in 5-2 win over the Mets

NEW YORK (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. favors robbing homers over hitting them.

Tatis' glove and bat were on display Tuesday night in a 5-2 win over the Mets as the 27-year-old robbed New York's Francisco Lindor of a grand slam in between hitting two homers.

“Tough challenge,” Tatis said following his 14th career two-homer game, which ties him for second in franchise history. “But robbery today was more fun.”

Tatis hit the first pitch from New York's Zac Thornton 452 feet into the second deck in left field before adding a two-run homer off Thornton in the fifth. He has 15 homers after opening the season without a longball in his first 238 at-bats.

But Tatis’ biggest contribution in the game came in the field in the second inning, when reached over the wall in in right field and pulled back Lindor’s potential slam.

“It’s amazing — he’s seriously one of the most athletic fielders I’ve ever seen,” said Padres pitcher Robbie Ray, who loaded the bases with three walks. “What he’s able to do out there, just to be able to be in that spot to make that catch, was incredible.”

Tatis, Ray and manager Craig Stammen were all surprised as Lindor’s fly drifted toward the wall on an night with minimal wind.

“I knew it was going to be a play at the wall,” Tatis said. “Just great timing — prepare myself to launch and go for it.”

Tatis was one step from the wall when he jumped and grabbed the ball just as it began to clear the wall. The converted shortstop used his hands to break his fall as his hat fell off and bounced behind him.

Tatis stood straight up and stared toward the infield, which left everyone on the field and the crowd of 35,508 wondering if he’d made the catch.

“Just taking off a grand slam right there, that’s a game changer,” Tatis said.

Tatis then raised his glove, after which Ray raised his arms and put his glove on his head.

“He does it with a flair,” Stammen said. “And that’s who makes Fernando who he is and why we love watching him.”

Ray walked a few more steps with his glove on his hat, grinning in disbelief as he gazed at Tatis, who jogged in with his mouth agape before he exchanged low fives with centerfielder Jackson Merrill.

“I kind of blacked out in the moment,” Ray said with a grin. “Just a really cool — it was just an incredible play.”

Ray allowed just two baserunners over his final four innings.

“It’s up there as one of the most impactful games he’s had as a Padre, for sure,” Stammen said. “You look at how many runs he created and then how many runs he took away. That’s a pretty big number.

“They talk about plus/minus in the NBA and hockey and stuff like that. That was a big plus/minus game for ‘Tati’ tonight.”

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San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. hits a two run home run against the New York Mets during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. follows through on a two run home run against the New York Mets during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. reacts after hitting thorn home run against the New York Mets during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. celebrates with Ty France (25) after hitting a home run against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

SYDNEY (AP) — Five Australian rules footballers have been banned for the remainder of the AFL season by the Sydney Swans for breaching player codes of conduct during a stay at a Melbourne hotel that has led to a police investigation into allegations of sexual assault.

The Swans issued a statement Wednesday saying “Riley Bice, Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney, James Jordon and Chad Warner will not be considered for selection for the remainder of the 2026 AFL Season,” ruling them out of a regular-season game this weekend and the playoffs series.

The Swans said the club-imposed sanctions were independent of an investigation by Victoria state police. No charges have been laid, and no player has been identified as being involved in an alleged sexual assault.

Police were called to a hotel in East Melbourne early Monday when a woman made a complaint to staff there.

“We respect there is an ongoing investigation by Victoria Police and the actions we have taken today are independent of this,” the Swans statement said, adding that the Australian Football League “is supportive of the club’s sanctions.”

Swans chief executive Matthew Pavlich told a news conference Wednesday the club sanctions were imposed for a series of postgame code of conduct breaches. Swans players were staying at the hotel after a game on Sunday because a commercial flight wouldn’t have got the squad back to Sydney in time before an airport curfew.

“It was staying out late, it was drinking, it was continuing their night, it was bringing women back to the hotel,” Pavlich said. Such behavior “was a long way short of what we expect of our players.

“We’re holding them to a really high standard. But they were well short of anywhere near that standard.”

He declined to comment on any matters relating to the police investigation.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon earlier released a statement saying the allegations were “deeply concerning.”

“While the matter remains under police investigation, it raises broader issues for our game and our responsibilities as a sport,” Dillon said. “The woman who made the report to police is entitled to privacy and care, and that should be respected.”

The competitive bans followed a club board meeting Tuesday night and interviews with the players involved.

“The Sydney Swans condemn all forms of abuse and disrespectful behavior toward women,” the Swans said in a statement ahead of the board meeting. “Any conduct that causes offense or harm to others is unacceptable and falls well short of our expectations. All women deserve to be respected and feel safe.”

Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham apologized for the actions of the players and said there was deep disappointment within the club.

“To effectively torpedo our season by making a decision such as this tells you how seriously we’ve taken it,” he said.

See AP’s full sports coverage here

Sydney Swans Australian Rules Football club CEO Matthew Pavlich, left, and Chairman Andrew Pridham speak to the media in Sydney, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP Image via AP)