A side advantage of the Padres’ lengthy postseason run is that they will have their star shortstop for 12 more games in 2023.

 

The Padres have a potential comeback date for Fernando Tatis Jr., given that each postseason game played by the Padres counts as one game served on his suspension. Tatis would be qualified to return on April 20 at the start of a four-game series at Arizona if the schedule stands as it is (though that date is subject to change with any rainouts or other postponements).

 

After testing positive for a prohibited drug in August, they gave Tatis an 80-game suspension. After spending the first four months of the season recovering from a shattered left wrist, Tatis’s punishment guaranteed he would miss the 2022 campaign.

 

Throughout the postseason, “I’ve talked to him here,” said Padres manager Bob Melvin. “He’s just looking forward to helping his team and returning, and I believe he has a new perspective on things now. The hunger he’s going to have to come in and be part of this — and help his team go farther than we did [in 2022] — is incredible.”

 

“Right now, all of his attention is on getting well, returning, and joining this group because he overlooked it.

 

The Padres made it to the NLC Series without Tatis in the lineup but lost to Philadelphia in five games.

 

Tatis had a second operation on his left wrist during the Padres’ postseason run to strengthen it for the long term. General manager A.J. At the team’s season-ending news conference on Tuesday, Preller spoke for the first time about that procedure.

 

More so, in the long run, over the following 7–10 years, Preller stated there was some concern about how things would mend and endure. Tatis finally decided: “Let’s go in, fix it, take the screw out and put one in. Everyone felt that it went extremely well.” “We consulted with several specialists around the nation — and [Tatis] ultimately made a choice.”

 

Tatis had more surgery in addition to the left shoulder procedure in September to fix his labrum. During the 2021 season, he had many shoulder subluxations; the left shoulder operation, which has a recovery period of 4-6 months, is intended to stop any more dislocations.

 

Tatis is expected to be healthy for the start of Spring Training the following season, despite the two recent procedures, according to the Padres. Tatis will be permitted to participate in Padres camp throughout the ban, but he will have to leave the group once the regular season starts.

 

Tatis will miss the first 20 games of the team’s 2019 season in total.

 

According to Preller, limiting his time away from the game and our squad is undoubtedly a plus. “Having Fernando Tatis Jr. around for a few more weeks, if healthy, should be good for us.”

 

Naturally, there is also the age-old query of where Tatis will play in the upcoming campaign. Ha-Seong Kim became a crucial player in 2022 and a superb defensive shortstop.

 

Tatis has previously said that he preferred to play shortstop. However, the Padres had intended to use him at both shortstop and center field as they were preparing for his return in mid-August before his suspension. (The intention was for Trent Grisham, a lefty and righty-hitter Kim, to create a sort of platoon.)

 

He wants to triumph, Preller remarked. He’s got a strong baseball mind and knows the game, so we’ll sit down and talk to him about what we think is best. We’ll listen to what he thinks and wants to do, but ultimately, we will perform what we believe is best for our team.

 

In the end, it could rely on Preller’s other off-season decisions. Both Kim and second baseman Jake Cronenworth have versatility. Although both Kim and Cronenworth were Gold Glove contenders at their respective positions in 2022, the Padres could theoretically move Kim to second and Cronenworth to first. But this winter, San Diego will also be looking for a first baseman.

 

However, Preller put it best when asked on Tuesday what position he would want to see Tatis playing in 2023.

 

Preller stated, “That position would be on the field. “That position would be the greatest for maybe 145 games.”

 

It would be a welcome change for the Padres from the 2022 season.