After spending months away from the diamond due to the PED suspension, Fernando Tatis Jr. is ready to make his return to the San Diego Padres. Before they share the field with him, some of his Padres teammates weighed in on what'll be like having Tatis join the roster.
Tatis was hit with an 80-day suspension for Clostebol in August. That suspension carried 21 games into the 2023 season. Due to the nature of his suspension, fans around the league will be skeptical of Tatis' return. He's sure to hear some boos. But after serving his punishment, Manny Machado is ready to rally around Tatis, via Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.
“We're all gonna have to deal with it together,” Machado said. “As a team.”
Xander Bogaerts is one of Tatis' newest teammates. He signed a 11-year, $280 million contract with San Diego this offseason. As Bogaerts sought a fresh start with the Padres, the shortstop is eager to welcome Tatis back for a second chance.
“You can sense it,” Bogaerts said. “There's a lot of talk – positive talk, positive vibes. This is a once in a once-in-a-generation type talent that we're here to see, and I'm so happy that he's on our team.
Before being suspended, Fernando Tatis Jr. appeared in 273 games with the Padres. He's a career .292 hitter with 81 home runs, 195 RBI and 52 stolen bases. He's a two-time Silver Slugger and one-time All Star.
Tatis will be looked at differently across the league after his suspension. However, at least for now, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts are happy to welcome him back to the Padres.
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