Fernando Tatis Jr. did nothing but rake since bursting onto the scene with the San Diego Padres in 2019. At age 20, Tatis hit 22 home runs in just a little over a half a season’s worth of games (84) with a stellar OPS of .969. Tatis was on the verge of becoming the face of the MLB, as he blended superstar-level performance at the plate, youthful exuberance, and an infectiously joyful personality. Alas, the Tatis hype train faced a considerable halt in 2022, as the MLB suspended the Padres star for 80 games due to PED usage, causing him
Now, Tatis is back, but his star has dimmed considerably. Not only has his PED-related suspension tainted his image in the eyes of many, his performance level has dropped a bit from the top-tier level he played at in his first three seasons in the MLB. But there is more to the Padres right fielder’s career than meets the eye.
Many understandably hitched their wagons on Fernando Tatis Jr. when his star was skyrocketing during his first few seasons in the league. But all the glitz and glamour has its drawbacks, with the Padres star admitting that the attention he drew almost became too much for him to deal with.
