February 18th, 2021 at 10:30 am 
by Ron Cervenka On Wednesday afternoon, the San Diego Padres signed 22-year-old shortstop Fernando Tatís Jr. to a 14-year/$340 million contract extension. It is the third-largest contract extension in MLB history (behind only Mookie Betts‘s 12-years/$365 million and Mike Trout‘s 10 years/$360 million) and the longest contract extension in MLB history … for now. It will take the San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic native and son of former 11-year MLB veteran infielder Fernando Tatís through the 2035 season when he will be 36 years old.
Make no mistake about it; Fernando Tatís Jr. is a good player. In his two-year MLB career, he has a slash line of .301/.374/.582/.956, with 39 home runs and 98 RBI, and against the Dodgers, a slash line of .239/.289/.437/.726 with four home runs and nine RBI. In 2019, he came in third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting, and in 2020, fourth in the NL MVP voting. He also won a Silver Slugger Award in 2020.
Fernando Tatís Jr. is not Corey Seager.
Through his six MLB seasons – all with the Dodgers – Seager has a career slash line of .295/.362/.500/.863, with 88 home runs and 307 RBI, and against the San Diego Padres, a slash line of .291/.345/.458/.804, with six home runs and 38 RBI. In 2016, he was voted the National League Rookie of the Year and finished third in the NL MVP voting. He was named to the 2016 and 2017 National League All-Star teams and won a Silver Slugger Award in each of those two seasons. He is also a World Series champion and named the 2020 World Series MVP.
Fernando Tatís Jr. is not Corey Seager.
The 26-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina native and Dodgers first-round draft pick in 2012 out of Northwest Cabarrus High School in Concord, NC, is better. Considerably better.
Corey Seager becomes a free agent at the conclusion of this season … and he is going to get PAID.
Meaning absolutely no disrespect whatsoever to Fernando Tatís Jr., but if he can pull off a 14-year/$340 contract extension after only two MLB seasons, the (hopeful) contract extension or (gulp) free-agent contract that Seager can – and will – get after this season is unimaginable.
Corey Seager is unquestionably Fernando Tatís Jr.’s biggest fan.
…for now.
Play Ball!
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@Dodgers https://t.co/fgBdYTbP96
Padres money, they can do with it what they want, but Tatis first season was 2019 when everyone knows that the MLB baseballs were juiced. Seager’s first two full seasons plus 27 games in 2015: .305/.374/.502/.876. Seager is not the best fielding shortstop, but he is statistically above average. I want Corey to follow in Kershaw’s footsteps and stay with the Dodgers for his career. What will it take financially? We can only guess. In the 2022 season Corey will be 28, so an 8 year, $340M contract would not be unreasonable. But if his 2021 full season is comparable offensively to how he performed in 2021 then 8/$340M may not be enough. Seager’s favorite player and team growing up — Derek Jeter and the NY Yankees (both parents from NY). Dodgers will get still competition from the Bronx Bombers for Corey.