Major League Baseball announced Friday evening that San Diego Padres superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. has been suspended for 80 games after he tested positive for Clostebol, a banned substance.
The failed performance-enhancing drug test will cost Tatis the remainder of this season (regular and post), and the beginning of the 2023 season.
It’s a shocking development surrounding one of baseball’s most prominent stars. Tatis slashed .282/.364/.611 with 42 home runs, 97 RBIs and a 7.3 fWAR. A wrist injury had prevented the 23-year-old from playing yet this season, but the expectation had been that he would join the Padres in the waning weeks of the pennant race.
Instead, the Padres will be without the face of the franchise as they look to return to the postseason. Manny Machado is having arguably the finest season of his career, and the Padres acquired Juan Soto, Josh Bell, Josh Hader and Brandon Drury in advance of the Aug. 2 trade deadline. But there’s no replacing Tatis.
At 63-51, the Padres enter play Friday night a half game back from the Phillies for the National League’s second Wild Card spot.