SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. won't be available for the Friars on Opening Day, since he still has 20 games left on his suspension to serve.
Tatis Jr.'s 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension was handed down as he was on the brink of returning from wrist surgery back in Aug. 2022. He had suffered the injury after falling off his motorcycle before the 2022 regular season.
During FanFest at Petco Park in February, Tatis Jr. said he's excited to get back in the saddle. The star is ready for his redemption tour.
“I’ve missed it a lot,” he said. “I mean, I missed a year of it. I’m not looking forward to missing anymore. It just feels great to be out there again.
Earlier in Spring Training, Tatis Jr. got his first hit since 2021 (and over 500 days), a notable step towards contributing to the team once again.
Tatis Jr. is eligible to return on April 20, when the Padres gear up for a series in Arizona. Assuming he stays on this time table for return, his first home game back in Petco Park would fall on May 1, whenWil Myers makes his return to San Diego with the Cincinnati Reds.
Before returning to the lineup, Tatis Jr. will play for the Triple-A squad El Paso Chihuahuas, according to a Union-Tribune report. The MLB allows a 15-day minor league assignment for suspended players as a final tune up period.
