WATCH: Will Fernando Tatís Jr. Be Welcomed Back?
San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatís Jr. is working his way back from his PED suspension. If all goes according to plan weather wise, he can return April 20th.
He's currently rehabbing at AAA El-Paso, and just hit his first home run on Tuesday night off of Sacramento.
When he returns, he'll be a major impact to a Padres team that has serious World Series aspirations. Since we last saw Tatís Jr. in 2021, the Padres have traded for Juan Soto and signed Xander Bogaerts. They feel like they are ready to compete with the Dodgers in the National League West and are ready to compete for a title.
Our own Brady Farkas of "The Payoff Pitch" podcast examines the impact he can have, how good he is, if we've forgotten how good he is and more.
You can watch his comments below:
Farkas also wonders how Tatís Jr. will be welcomed back into the baseball world? Will he be accepted by teammates? Do they look at him as the player that can put them over the top? Or do they see him as a player who wasn't there for them last year when they needed him and got beat in the NLCS?
And how do opposing players feel about him? The Sacramento pitcher he homered off the other day already labeled him a "cheater." And how about baseball fans? Do they hold a grudge like they do against the Astros players from the sign-stealing scandal or do they gloss over this transgression?
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