Fernando Tatis Jr. has been working his way back into the San Diego Padres after a rough couple of years. And based on the reception he is getting in his first minor league appearances, it is going to be a rocky road when it comes to his reception.
Tatis Jr. is working his way back from an 80-game suspension for performance enhancing drugs, which began last season. At the time that the announcement was made, he was recovering from a motorcycle accident injury that had kept him out of the entire 2022 season up to that point.
Fernando Tatis Jr. Called A “Cheater” By Opposing Pitcher
Currently suspended from MLB, Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. whacked a dinger off Giants prospect Kade McClure, then proceeded to pimp the absolute shit out of it. McClure then responded on Twitter… pic.twitter.com/8FGG1pIeuL
— Dan Clark (@DanClarkSports) April 6, 2023
He hasn’t actually played for the Padres since October 3rd, 2021. The team has built one of the most exciting and talented rosters in the big leagues while he has been out of the line-up, and they are hoping that the young slugger will be yet another piece adding to their championship aspirations.
Tatis Jr. is scheduled to miss the first 21 games of the 2023 season while serving the final games of the suspension, with a projected return to the Padres lineup by the end of April. In the meantime, he will continue his rehab assignment and comeback by spending two weeks at Triple-A El Paso in the minor leagues.
He might have some trouble winning over the fans as well as opposing players.
In his second rehab appearance, on the road against the Sacramento Rivercats, Tatis Jr. hit a home run off of pitcher Kade McClure. As he rounded the bases and did his signature stutter-step around third base, he was met by the ire of the road crowd, receiving boos from the sparsely populated seats as he touched home plate.
Tatis Jr. Booed By Sacramento Crowd
Kade McClure will be telling people for years about the time he gave up an absolute nuke to Fernando Tatis Jr. pic.twitter.com/JNOlxN8T3U
— Darnay Tripp (@DarnayTripp) April 6, 2023
The pitcher who gave up the home run didn’t go quietly into the night, either.
The Rivercats Kade McClure took to social media after the game, responding to a tweet that was sent out by a local sports reporter from San Diego. McClure called Tatis Jr. a cheater, in response to the tweet that he’d be reminded of giving up that home run for years. McClure later deleted his response.
It is likely just the start for Fernando Tatis Jr. Even before the issues with PEDs, the young superstar was often in the spotlight for his on-field antics, and was one of the faces of the “new age” of baseball players that purists of the game seemingly disliked.
Tatis Jr. will continue his rehab assignment for at least the next week and a half. The Padres are off to a 3-3 start and are tied for second place in the NL West.
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