The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are currently locked in a heated NLDS playoff series.
With the feisty series currently tied 1-1, the scene now shifts to San Diego where the Padres will look to take control beginning with Game 3 tonight.
Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. is used to making plenty of headlines with his on-field play. However, his name made headlines this week for reasons other than baseball.
The mother of Tatis Jr.’s two-year-old daughter is taking legal action to seek an increase in child support payments.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Jennifer Rodriguez is asking the court for a raise, arguing that the $20,000 per month she currently receives is not enough to support their daughter’s needs.
Rodriguez, who became pregnant in 2021, claims that Tatis Jr. has treated his responsibilities as a father like a “business arrangement.”
She says the current amount, which totals $240,000 annually, does not reflect the standard of living their daughter deserves, given the financial success and lifestyle of her father.
“I have come to understand how little [our daughter] has compared to the benefits that Fernando receives for being a visible MLB star and local San Diego celebrity,” she said. “I have also come to understand how much it will cost to support a child to live at Fernando’s station in life.”
Rodriguez further highlighted that Tatis Jr. lives in a large mansion and owns multiple luxury cars, asserting that their daughter is entitled to share in the lavish lifestyle enjoyed by her father.
In 2021, Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a historic 14-year, $340 million contract extension with the San Diego Padres, which at the time was one of the longest deals in American sports history.
This contract included a full no-trade clause and solidified his role as the face of the Padres franchise.
Despite his off-field financial success, Tatis Jr. now faces legal challenges off the field.
Tatis Jr.’s attorney, Michael Strauss, responded to the court filing, criticizing Rodriguez’s actions. “Ms. Rodriguez’s decision to push out a false narrative about Fernando and the Tatís family is nothing new.
“He is confident in the legal process and trusts that Ms. Rodriguez’s claims about him will not hold up in court. He loves and supports his daughter and will continue to do so.”
This legal dispute comes at a critical time for Tatis Jr., as the Padres are fully focused on the massive playoff series against the hated Dodgers.
Speaking of the series, what is your prediction? … Will Tatis Jr. and the Padres pull it out???