Fernando Gabriel TatÃÂs Medina Sr. (; born January 1, 1975) is a Dominican former professional baseball third baseman who currently serves as the manager for the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna of the Mexican League. Over his 11-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, TatÃÂs played for the Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Montreal Expos, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Mets. He holds the major league record for runs batted in (RBI) in an inning, a feat that he achieved by hitting two grand slams in one inning during a game on April 23, 1999, becoming the only player in MLB history to do so. His son, Fernando Jr., plays for the San Diego Padres.
At the age of 17, TatÃÂs was signed as an amateur free agent by Omar Minaya and the Texas Rangers on August 25, 1992. TatÃÂs played his first game in Major League Baseball with the Rangers, at third base, almost five years later on July 26, 1997, and went on to play 60 games with the Rangers in his rookie season. At the trade deadline on July 31, 1998, the Rangers traded TatÃÂs along with Darren Oliver and Mark Little to the St. Louis Cardinals for Royce Clayton and Todd Stottlemyre.
TatÃÂs had the best season of his career in 1999 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He hit 34 home runs with 107 RBI and 21 stolen bases, with a .298 batting average. On April 23, 1999, TatÃÂs hit two grand slams in one inning, against starting pitcher Chan Ho Park of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is the only player in MLB history to accomplish this feat, which also set the MLB record for runs batted in during a single inning (eight).
After playing only 96 games for the Cardinals in 2000 because of an injury, TatÃÂs was traded to the Montreal Expos along with Britt Reames for Dustin Hermanson and Steve Kline. TatÃÂs played just 208 games over three seasons with the Expos because of injuries.
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays invited TatÃÂs to spring training in 2004, but he did not make the team and was released. TatÃÂs next did not play professional baseball for two seasons and resided in the Dominican Republic.
The Baltimore Orioles signed TatÃÂs to a minor-league contract on November 25, 2005. He returned to baseball to raise money to build a church. He played most of the season for the AAA baseball Ottawa Lynx, eventually playing in 28 games for the Orioles after being called up on July 21, 2006.
In 2007, TatÃÂs was invited to spring training with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After being assigned to minor-league baseball camp, TatÃÂs was granted his request to be released from his contract on March 14. Just nine days later, he signed a minor-league contract with the New York Mets, and spent the 2007 season with its AAA affiliate, the New Orleans Zephyrs.
On May 11, 2008, TatÃÂs was called up from the Zephyrs to replace ÃÂngel Pagán. TatÃÂs had started playing outfield in the minor leagues to become a more versatile player.
On May 28, TatÃÂs hit a walk-off double against Justin Miller to defeat the Florida Marlins in the bottom of the 12th inning. This was TatÃÂs's first career walk-off hit. TatÃÂs played most of his time with the Mets in left field and right field because of injuries to usual starters Moisés Alou and Ryan Church.
On September 16, 2008, TatÃÂs separated his shoulder diving for a fly ball in a game against the Washington Nationals. The Mets team physician diagnosed the injury as a Grade III separation, a complete separation of the joint from the socket. Due to this, TatÃÂs missed the rest of the 2008 regular season. Despite missing the end of the season, on October 23, 2008, TatÃÂs received the Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award for the National League.
TatÃÂs was named to the Dominican Republic national baseball team for the 2009 World Baseball Classic as a replacement for Alex Rodriguez, who was injured.
TatÃÂs played intermittently for the Mets in 2009 and 2010. His last Major League game was on July 4, 2010. He was also the latest New York Met to wear uniform number 17, which was taken out of circulation as a mark of respect for Keith Hernandez, who wore it for the Mets from 1983 to 1989.
On April 1, 2014, TatÃÂs signed with the Vaqueros Laguna of the Mexican League. He was released on May 1. In 23 games he hit .241/.348/.367 with 2 home runs and 10 RBIs.
On October 5, 2014, TatÃÂs announced his retirement as a player. For his career, he batted .265 with 113 home runs and 448 RBI.
On January 9, 2018, the Boston Red Sox announced that TatÃÂs had joined their minor league organization as manager of one of their two rookie-level Dominican Summer League Red Sox teams. He returned for the 2019 season, but was no longer with the organization entering the 2020 season.
On November 26, 2025, Tatis was hired to serve as the manager for the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna of the Mexican League.
TatÃÂs' father, Fernando Antonio TatÃÂs, was also a professional baseball player. He was an infielder in the Houston Astros system from 1969 through 1978, reaching as high as Class AAA before retiring and moving on to coaching and scouting Houston's minor leaguers. The elder Fernando disappeared from TatÃÂs' life when he was four years old. The two were not reunited until 1997 when the younger TatÃÂs was a rookie with the Texas Rangers. Rangers scout Omar Minaya, whom TatÃÂs described as a father figure, related the story of TatÃÂs' search for his father to The New York Times national baseball writer Murray Chass. Chass wrote about the search and that article led to the reunion of TatÃÂs and his father. His mother is Yudelca TatÃÂs.
TatÃÂs' older son Fernando TatÃÂs Jr. is a shortstop and outfielder for the San Diego Padres. His younger son, Elijah, is a middle infielder who played in the Chicago White Sox farm system from 2019âÂÂ22.