WASHINGTON — Fernando Tatis Jr. will not play for the Padres this season.
The 23-year-old shortstop was suspended Friday for 80 games by Major League Baseball for violation of the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
“I have been informed by Major League Baseball that a test sample I submitted returned a positive result for Clostebol, a banned substance,” Tatis said in a statement issued by the MLB Players Association. “It turns out that I inadvertently took a medication to treat ringworm that contained Clostebol. I should have used the resources available to me in order to ensure that no banned substances were in what I took. I failed to do so. I want to apologize to Peter (Seidler, the Padres’ chairman) AJ (Preller, the Padres’ President of Baseball Operation), the entire Padres organization, my teammates, Major League Baseball, and fans everywhere for my mistake. I have no excuse for my error, and I would never do anything to cheat or disrespect this game I love. I have taken countless drug tests throughout my professional career, including on March 29, 2022, all of which have returned negative results until this test. I am completely devastated. There is nowhere else in the world I would rather be than on the field competing with my teammates. After initially appealing the suspension, I have realized that my mistake was the cause of this result, and for that reason I have decided to start serving my suspension immediately. I look forward to rejoining my teammates on the field in 2023.”
Tatis, who has not played in 2022 after an offseason motorcycle accident, will now miss the rest of this season and the first 32 games of next season. He is ineligible for the postseason as well.
“We were surprised and extremely disappointed to learn today that Fernando Tatis Jr. tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Prevention and Treatment Program and subsequently received an 80-game suspension without pay,” the Padres said in a statement. “We fully support the Program and are hopeful that Fernando will learn from this experience.”
Tatis, who became one of the biggest stars in the sport almost as soon as he debuted in 2019, is in the second year of a 14-year, $340 million contract. His salary is $5 million this year and $7 million in 2023.
Tatis led the National League with 42 home runs in 2022 and is among the league’s most exciting players. Last June, he became the fastest player in history to reach 50 career home runs and 50 career stolen bases. But he has played in just 273 of the Padres’ 498 games since his debut on opening day in 2019.
The suspension was announced minutes before the Padres began a game against the Nationals.
The game’s second batter was Juan Soto, who received a long standing ovation and acknowledged the crowd before his at-bat.
Soto and first baseman Josh Bell were acquired at the trade deadline last week, and the Padres had looked to the return of Tatis to further enhance their lineup. The trades for Bell and Soto, as well as utility man Brandon Drury, seem even more crucial now.
