Padres News: Juan Soto Believes Fernando Tatis Jr. 'Deserved' to be All Star

Soto and relief pitcher Josh Hader were the only Padres selected.

While Juan Soto and Josh Hader can celebrate their third and fifth All-Star selections, respectively, one possibly-deserving Padre will be on the outside looking in.

Despite hitting .280/.364/.581 and hitting 16 home runs in a suspension-shortened first half of the season, Fernando Tatis Jr. was not named to the NL All-Star team. 

On Monday, Juan Soto argued the case for Tatis Jr. to be among those honored in Seattle.

"He's an All-Star. Everyone knows he's an All-Star. I think he deserved to be there," Soto said.

(Via 97.3 The Fan)

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal noted that the "snubbing" of Tatis Jr. might be the result of his positive test last season for a performance-enhancing substances which violated Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

The suspension which delayed Tatis Jr.'s 2023 debut was due to his violation of league PED rules.

"I can picture players sitting at lockers filling out their ballots and thinking, '**** this guy," Rosenthal wrote.

(Via

The Athletic

)

The debate over whether punishing Tatis Jr. after he served his suspension is justifiable is one that has no correct conclusion. Soto knows where he stands.

"We all know his things and everything, but he's a great player and I think he deserved to be there," Soto said, likely referencing Tatis Jr.'s suspension. "Sometimes it's really unfair to players, it happened to me in [2018 and 2019]."

(Via 97.3 The Fan)

Soto was not named to the All-Star team in 2018 or 2019 despite having strong starts to each season. He did not make his first All-Star game until 2021, and has made it every season since.

Juan Soto shared his thoughts on Fernando Tatis Jr. not making the All-Star team and why he decided not to defend his Home Run Derby title: pic.twitter.com/sB9c0LYqbA

— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) July 3, 2023

The All-Star Game, which will not feature Fernando Tatis Jr., will take place July 11 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.