Fernando Tatis Jr., slated to return to the Padres on Thursday, had another big game on Saturday night as part of his rehab assignment with San Diego's Triple-A affiliate, the El Paso Chihuahuas. Tatis followed-up his three-homer performance on Thursday with two more home runs in a four-hit showing against the Albuquerque Isotopes.
Tatis, 24, recorded a hit in his first three at-bats before grounding out in the sixth. Prior to that groundout, he had notched a hit in eight consecutive at-bats. That stretch included six extra-base hits (five of those going for home runs) and 10 runs batted in. Tatis entered Saturday night batting .478/.586/1.087 in his 29 plate appearances to date.
Tatis, who once again played right field on Saturday, is nearing the completion of an 80-game suspension triggered by a failed performance-enhancing drug test. (In an odd wrinkle, the Padres' playoff contests from last year counted toward his suspension, hastening his return.) He's allowed to play in rehab games because he's also making his way back from wrist and shoulder surgeries. The combination of the suspension and those injuries have prevented him from appearing in a regular season game since October 2021.
The Padres lineup has undergone significant changes since then. Outfielder Juan Soto was obtained from the Washington Nationals last July, and shortstop Xander Bogaerts was signed this winter. The latter's addition means Tatis is likely to spend most of his time in the outfield, where he can leverage his speed into good range and cut down on his tendency to uncork wild throws.
The Padres, 8-8 on the young season, will conclude their series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. They'll host the Atlanta Braves for three games to open the new week before heading to Arizona -- with Tatis in tow -- to begin a four-game set against the Diamondbacks on Thursday.
