PHOENIX — It’d been some time. But all these gameday feelings — the butterflies, the joy, the nervous vitality — got here flooding again to Fernando Tatis Jr. on Thursday afternoon.
“The feeling that I’m going to play baseball tonight,” mentioned Tatis, moments earlier than he floated up the dugout steps to hitch his teammates for batting observe, “it’s just at the top of the world.”
More than 18 months since he final suited up for the Padres — a 564-day stretch that included a optimistic PED check, a ensuing 80-game suspension and a trio of surgical procedures on his left shoulder and wrist — Tatis made his long-awaited return to the San Diego lineup in a 7-5 victory over the D-backs.
He completed 0-for-5 — although he hit a few balls onerous and made a formidable operating catch in proper area to finish the eighth inning. Really although, the numbers have been inappropriate. For the primary time in 564 days, Tatis was again the place he’s happiest. A child — El Niño — on a baseball area, taking part in baseball once more.
“I embraced every single moment,” Tatis mentioned.
Because for a yr and a half, he didn’t get an opportunity to. Tatis’ suspension got here on the heels of a left wrist fracture that he sustained in a bike accident in December 2021. The ensuing surgical procedure would preserve Tatis out for the primary 4 months of the ‘22 season. His suspension meant that he’d miss the remaining.
So, sure, Tatis’ prolonged absence was of his personal making. But, talking with reporters for the primary time since he rejoined the workforce on Monday, Tatis made clear his want to make use of his previous errors to higher himself — as a participant, as an individual, as a teammate.
“Every situation you learn,” Tatis mentioned. “You see what you can take the best out of in it. I feel like in this, we definitely did that. … I’m just more mature. I’ve learned different stuff, come from a really bad situation, and I feel like I’ve overcome it with the right stuff.”
Tatis didn’t have to attend lengthy to seek out out what sort of reception he’d get. He batted leadoff and was launched previous to first pitch to some boos that have been overwhelmingly drowned out by cheers.
Of course, this was the primary time since Oct. 3, 2021, that Padres followers had an opportunity to see Tatis in motion. They confirmed up in droves — notably packing the seats in proper area so the very ballpark itself regarded askew.
“Amazing how they showed up,” Tatis mentioned. “They were loud.”
Tatis was evidently wanting to please. In all 5 of his at-bats, he was first-pitch swinging. He struck out within the first and seventh innings. But the three balls he put in play have been every well-struck — together with a 110.2 mph groundout within the third.
“I hit the ball hard,” mentioned Tatis (who batted a patently ridiculous .515/.590/1.212 throughout a rehab stint with Triple-A El Paso). “I hit the ball to every single part of the field. At the end of the day, this is baseball. I feel really good with my at-bats.”
Tatis’ greatest contribution got here in proper — his place for the reason that arrival of shortstop Xander Bogaerts. With two outs within the backside of the eighth, Josh Rojas shot a liner towards the nook that appeared ticketed for additional bases.
Manager Bob Melvin admitted to placing his head down and briefly gameplanning for a runner on second when he heard the roar. Tatis had made a operating catch on the observe earlier than playfully leaping into the right-field fence. Melvin later knowledgeable Tatis that he thought it was a double.
“I used to be like, ‘No, you got me out there, Papi,” Tatis said. “Let’s go.”
It wasn’t fully clean for Tatis in proper. Eager to point out off his rocket arm, he missed a cutoff man within the fourth, permitting a runner to advance (although Melvin identified that the Padres’ infield hadn’t adequately offered Tatis with a cutoff man within the first place). In the ninth, Tatis and second baseman Ha-Seong Kim almost collided on a popup past the infield.
“We’re just getting started,” Tatis mentioned. “I’m still learning the position. I feel like every single day I’m going to get better at it.”
About half-hour previous to first pitch, Tatis emerged from the guests’ dugout and jogged towards proper area, his formal return to a giant league ambiance. He acquired a rousing ovation. Each time he got here to the plate, extra of the identical adopted.
It received’t all the time be really easy. Tatis was one of the beloved superstars within the sport when he final suited up for the Padres. Now? It’s all a bit extra sophisticated. In sure street locales, he’ll assuredly be booed and referred to as all method of names. He says he’s prepared for it.
“That’s going to come,” Tatis mentioned. “… Nothing I can do about it. I’m just going to keep playing this game and enjoy every part of it.”
Content Source: www.mlb.com