On August 12th, the San Diego Padres announced that Major League Baseball suspended shortstop Fernando Tatis, Jr. after testing positive for Clostebol. This performance-enhancing substance violates MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention Treatment Program. As we all know, the news shocked many across the sport, including fans. Tatis stated that he inadvertently took medication to treat ringworm that contained Clostebol.
Regardless of whether or not you believe Tatis, it was the second of many frustrations as he broke his wrist in a motorcycle accident this past offseason. To watch Tatis go from becoming the face of baseball to a disappointment to many has been tough to see. For all of us who follow prospects, we saw Tatis’ massive and quick ascend to the big leagues. He got many of us excited to watch baseball. The conversation was always Juan Soto, Ronald Acuna, Jr., and Fernando Tatis Jr. It’s rare to see three prospects all debut around the same time and become three of the best the game offers.
Tatis, Jr. hit the ground running, quickly solidifying himself as one of the best in the game, if not the face of the game, with his power, speed, and charisma. Tatis was (and still can be) electric on the diamond. The energy and flare he brought to San Diego every day were unmatched. He finished fourth in MVP voting in his second season, and just last year, he finished third. This success led to Tatis, Jr. signing a 14 year, $330 million contract.
The San Diego Padres were expecting to finish the season by watching Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis, Jr., and Manny Machado in the same lineup. They were expecting a massive jolt to their team to help them make a push in the playoffs, hopefully. The last two incidents by Tatis, Jr. have left a sour taste in fans’ mouths, and rightfully so. Not only did he bring disappointment to fans but also to kids who looked up to him and wanted to become the next Fernando Tatis, Jr.
The suspension of Fernando Tatis, Jr. is just another highlight on the human side of the game. We expect that these players should be perfect. That they aren’t capable of making mistakes. And at a young age, some of these players feel invincible, especially after signing a massive contract. When suspensions like this happen, it is an excellent reminder to fans and the player who made the mistake that they are human. They won’t always be perfect, even as much as we want them to be. That doesn’t necessarily excuse Tatis, Jr. from his actions. As we grow, we all have the opportunity to decide the paths we want to take.
What will be telling is how Tatis, Jr. bounces back from this. The actions he takes from here on out will be under a microscope. As he stated in his press conference, he has the opportunity to write his own story moving forward. Just like many of us do when we make mistakes. We all have the chance to reflect and learn from each event that happens in our life. The only person in control of the future narrative of Fernando Tatis, Jr. is Fernando Tatis, Jr. For many fans of the game, we all hope his words in his press conference ring true. He learns from his past mistakes, and we all get to see the electric player many of us grew to love back on the field.
His road back to stardom will be a long one. He knows it. We all know it. Each of us can have an opinion on the type of person Fernando Tatis, Jr. is, but at the end of the day, he has the final say in who he is and who he wants to be.
