parent star Fernando Tatis Jr. Baseball activity has been cleared to resume this weekend, reports Athletic’s Dennis Lynn. The organization expects him to be ready for spring training.
Tatis will have three surgeries in 2022. His season began with a procedure to repair a broken left wrist that was identified when reporting to his training in the spring. Tatis missed rehab for the first half of the year. When he was on minor-league duty to get back in game form, MLB announced he had been given an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drug use. showed a positive reaction to
It was over before his 2022 season started. Tatis responded by going under the knife two more times, using the time he was forced to take no action to rectify other health concerns. First with surgery on his left shoulder, 2021 brought him trouble throughout the season, forcing him to go on the disabled list twice. In mid-October, he underwent follow-up surgery on his left wrist.
It would have been difficult for the 24-year-old, who posted .292/.369/.596 in his first three seasons in the major leagues, to map out his worst years. He earned a pair of All-Star nods and a Silver Slugger Award. The Padres are firmly committed to him as the face of the franchise in the 2020-21 offseason, signing his $340 million contract extension, the fifth-largest contract in MLB history.
Whether Tatis can rediscover the form he’s shown in his first three seasons is one of the biggest questions facing the San Diego team as they aim for the World Series. It’s a promising start that he’s expected to go all out for the opening of the exhibition his playing, but his performance coming from a year’s layoff and his three surgeries is certain about his level. will have doubts.
Despite being healthy, Tatis won’t be on the Opening Day roster. His PED suspension still has 21 games remaining and he won’t be out until April 20 (barring a postponement). Tatis is eligible to participate in Spring Training games during his suspension, so it should take Cactus several weeks to face higher-level pitchers in his league games. That would be followed by nearly another month of absence to complete his suspension.
There’s no question Tatis will be a regular in skipper Bob Melvin’s lineup if he’s eligible to play. Exactly where he lines up is up in the air now.The presence of Kim Ha-sun and signed xander bogaerts Giving San Diego another option. Manny Machado When Jake Cronenworth Hit by a pencil in the corner infield. Injuries could change the count, but Tatis plans to spend the majority of his time in the outfield.
Trent Grisham The club is at least open to a possible trade in center field, though he may return to center field. Juan Soto One corner outfield seat is reserved. After playing only right field in 2022, Soto told Padres officials he would be happy to play outfield in either corner next season, reports Lynn. Playing Tatis in another corner seems to be the plan most days, but Tatis can bounce around the diamond when other players take time off.
Melvin and the coaching staff are tasked with sorting out defensive possibilities. He’s also signed for his 12 seasons, totaling $324 million, so that’s an important goal for the organization (minus about $800,000 that will be forfeited during the rest of his suspension). .