FROM BAD TO UGLY

Evan Davis

Fernando Tatis Jr., aka El niño, has just been suspended 80 games for violating the league's substance policy. This came as a huge surprise to the league, as Tatis is one of the game's best and young talents. Considered to be one of the best hitters and defenders in the league, Tatis will have to wait until May 2023 in order to make his return to the field.

The suspension has also withdrawn him from competing in the World Baseball Classic, where Tatis was supposed to represent the Dominican Republic.

After inking a 14 year/$340M deal with the Padres last year, Tatis has managed to break his wrist during a motorcycle accident in the offseason and now has been handed down an 80 game suspension.

AJ Preller has every right to be frustrated with his superstar player that he paid big money for. Preller was very candid in his interviews, stating how he was frustrated with the immaturity of Tatis given all the antics this season. The Padres were very aggressive at the deadline with the impression that Tatis would be back sometime in late August or early September.

Now that Tatis is gone for the rest of the year, it is a huge blow to the Padres hopes at making noise in the playoffs, or even making the playoffs for that matter.

Josh Bell and Brandon Drury will be free agents after this season and I don’t see a way in which the Padres can keep both given the types of contracts these two will command. Tatis really ruined the mini window for the Padres and he needs to regain the trust of the organization as well as his teammates.

Tatis will have a lot of time to think and reflect on the person he needs to become in order to properly represent the San Diego Padres, but most importantly, the game of baseball.