When Will Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. Return? MRI Result Accelerates Timetable

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jul 22, 2024

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Padres received good news regarding Fernando Tatis Jr.'s right femoral stress reaction. Although his MRI didn't reveal a completely healed leg, it was encouraging enough for him to resume baseball activities.

“The MRI was favorable,” manager Mike Shildt said. “It’s still there — the actual stress reaction. But a lot of the swelling and the fluid is pretty well gone. That is obviously a positive, so he’s able to swing the bat and do some light lower-half exercises.”

Tatis will begin a full ramp-up once his leg is completely healed and he will have a better idea of what his return timetable looks like when he has another round of imaging done in two weeks.

Fernando Tatis Jr. had an MRI this week that showed the progress in healing the Padres had hoped for.
He can continue to incrementally increase his baseball activity. He has already begun playing catch and swinging a bat.

— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) July 18, 2024

The right fielder has been out since June 21, but has been swinging and playing catch. He will ratchet up his volume and intensity but his return to the lineup is almost certainly not happening until at least mid-August.

Shildt said he doesn’t anticipate Tatis needing much time to build back to game shape.

Tatis had been feeling discomfort in his leg since early April. Despite it, he hit .279 with 14 home runs and trailed only teammate Jurickson Profar in Wins Above Replacement among National League outfielders.

The Padres enter Monday in a three-team tie for the final NL Wild Card spot but if they continue playing well and get Tatis back on time, they should be a lock for the postseason.