With MLB players reporting for spring training this week, most teams are filled with hope and optimism. The Padres, however, received some brutal news on the injury front as camp begins to ramp up.
General manager A.J. Preller announced star shortstop Fernando Tatís Jr. suffered a fractured wrist during the offseason, and he could miss up to three months recovering. Preller initially said Tatís was headed for surgery, though Tatís later clarified that the decision to undergo a procedure had not been made yet.
It's unclear exactly when the injury occurred. Preller said it's possible it happened early in the offseason, per MLB.com's AJ Cassavell, though it was aggravated a few weeks ago when Tatís began swinging a bat. The injury is to the scaphoid bone in his left wrist.
Tatís, 23, missed 32 games last season with a dislocated shoulder. He had to be moved to the outfield to help ease the physical burden of playing shortstop. He still had a brilliant season, batting .282/.364/.611 with a league-leading 42 home runs and 25 stolen bases, finishing third in National League MVP voting.
Jake Cronenworth and Ha-Seong Kim appear to be the two most likely players to fill in at shortstop in Tatís absence. Manny Machado and Jurickson Profar also have plenty of big-league experience at the position and could slide over if needed.
