parents star Fernando Tatis Jr. is ready to start a minor league rehab allowance Tuesday as he returns to San Diego before the end of his 80-game suspension stemming from last season.
Tatis will report for the El Paso Chihuahuas on Tuesday night. He is expected to hit leadoff and will play right field for the Padres’ Triple-A affiliates, the team Announced on Tuesday. Tatis participated in spring training for the MLB club, but is not yet eligible to return to regular season games.
The 24-year-old will need to spend a little over two weeks before his suspension is up, which runs until April 20.
Starting up and playing RF: El Niño!
Fernando Tatis Jr. begins his MLB rehab tonight in Sacramento.
Author of the photo: @parents pic.twitter.com/4cRH0XGw5E
— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) April 4, 2023
Once back on the field, Tatis will look to re-establish himself as one of the league’s bright stars. He missed the entire 2022 season after undergo wrist surgery to repair an injury sustained in a motorcycle accident during the low season. MLB then suspended him 80 games, ending his season and keeping him sidelined into early 2023.
Following the acquisition of Xander Bogaerts in free agency, the Padres are expected to move Tatis to right field, and it looks like he’ll get some reps in the game during his tenure at Triple-A El Paso.
In his most recent season in 2021, Tatis slashed .282/.364/.611 with 42 home runs, 97 RBIs and 25 stolen bases, winning the Silver Slugger Award and finishing third in NL MVP voting.