The San Diego Padres are set to take on the Washington Nationals for a 3-game series at Petco Park. Ahead of the series, Padres' star Fernando Tatis Jr. hit the news as he made a legal decision dating back to an old complaint.

Tatis Jr. has sued Big League Advance Fund after a complaint regarding a 2017 deal that essentially offers players upfront money for a percentage of their later earnings. According to the New York Times, Tatis Jr. is stating “exploitative, predatory business practices, which shamelessly push illegal loans on young, vulnerable athletes, most from economically disadvantaged Latin American countries.”

Here is what Tatis Jr said in his statement.

Article Continues Below

“I’m fighting this battle not just for myself but for everyone still chasing their dream and hoping to provide a better life for their family,” Tatis states in the release. “I want to help protect those young players who don’t yet know how to protect themselves from these predatory lenders and illegal financial schemes — kids’ focus should be on their passion for baseball, not dodging shady business deals.”

The Padres' star won't miss any time dealing with this matter, but this is something that may have been distracting him the last couple of weeks. On Saturday against the Kansas City Royals, Tatis Jr. hit his first home run in about a month to help propel the Padres to a series win over the Royals. The Padres need Tatis Jr. to be playing at his elite form, which puts him in a conversation as one of the best players in the game right now.

Jackson Merrill recently returned to the team after a concussion, and now that the team is getting healthier, the Padres are hoping they can make a run back to the postseason. The MLB Trade Deadline is approaching, and this team could be buyers as they aim for their first-ever World Series title.