ARLINGTON, TEXAS – AUGUST 17: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting a grand slam against the Texas Rangers in the top of the eighth inning at Globe Life Field on August 17, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
On Friday night, Major League Baseball announced a severe punishment for star infielder Fernando Tatis Jr.
According to a statement from Major League Baseball, Tatis received an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a banned substance. Just as he was close to returning to the lineup, he will now miss the rest of the season.
“We were shocked and very disappointed to learn that Fernando Tatis Jr. tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Prevention and Treatment Program and was subsequently suspended for 80 games without pay,” the Padres said in a statement. “We fully support the Program and hope that Fernando will learn from this experience.”
ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to break the news about a possible positive test for the MLB star. Naturally, fans weren’t thrilled with the news.
Just when they thought they’d get Tatis back in a stacked lineup, he’s out for good.
Before the start of the 2022 season, Tatis broke his wrist in a motorcycle accident, for ESPN. As a result, he has missed the entire season so far and will now miss the rest of the regular season and the playoffs.
It’s a tough upset for the Padres, who appear to be well on their way to a playoff appearance.