“It is unclear exactly what position Fernando Tatis Jr. (24, San Diego Padres) will play when he returns.”
Sports media ‘The Athletic’ reported on the 7th (Korean time), “Tatis Jr. is able to start baseball for the first time after undergoing shoulder and wrist surgery.”
Tatis Jr. was one of the top prospects that San Diego was proud of. He played excellently in the 2021 season with a batting 메이저사이트 average of 0.282 (135 hits in 478 at-bats), 42 home runs, and 97 RBIs with an OPS of 0.975. The team gave him a special contract worth 340 million dollars (approximately 428.4 billion won) over 14 years and promoted his growth as a team franchise star.
That expectation was short-lived, but Tatis Jr.’s sudden action disrupted all plans. He was placed on the injured list (DL) after fractured his left wrist in a motorcycle accident prior to the start of last season, and was suspended for 80 games during rehabilitation after being caught taking clostebol, which helps muscle development.
The US local media ‘CBS Sports’ wrote, “Tatis Jr. has disciplinary action left until April 21, but he can participate in spring training. San Diego plans to send Tatis Jr. to watch his preparations.”
“The team signed an 11-year contract with Zander Bogarts off-season, and Ha-seong Kim played well as a shortstop last year, so it is unclear exactly what position Tatis Jr. will play even if he returns. Tatis played 27 games in the outfield in the 2021 season. .
San Diego general manager AJ Preller said, “We’re going to make sure what’s expected of Tatis Jr. We’ll also be looking at what the options on the roster are, how he’s fitting in, and we’ll be getting feedback.” revealed
Meanwhile, even with Tatis Jr.’s return, Kim Ha-seong is still predicted to be the starting pitcher. Local media outlets, including the official major league website ‘MLB.com’, pointed out that “Ha-seong Kim stood out as a shortstop, but his defensive talent will work well even as a second baseman.”