The baseball world has been rejoicing since the end of the MLB lockout, with many fans excited to see their favorite players return to the baseball diamond in April. Unfortunately, fans of the San Diego Padres will have to wait to watch star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. during the 2022 season.
Reports came out Monday that Tatis fractured his wrist in the offseason and will likely need surgery that could put him out around three months, according to Padres general manager A.J. Preller.
This is a crushing diagnosis for the Padres considering how well Tatis has played in his young career. The news has many Padres fans concerned heading into the 2022 season.
Tatis has obviously been a big part of the recent success of the Padres, making a huge statistical jump last year, hitting 42 home runs with 97 RBIs with a .282 batting average.
While the team missed out on the playoffs last season, they have shown flashes that they can be competitive with the Los Angeles Dodger and San Francisco Giants in the NL West. And with Tatis, they can be one of the more dangerous teams in MLB going forward.
The Padres and their fans will hope that Tatis can recover quickly if they are hoping to make yet another trip to the playoffs, as they did in the shortened 2020 season.
[ESPN]