San Diego Padres have target for Fernando Tatis Jr. return

The San Diego Padres have been impressive this season. Despite a myriad of injuries at the start of the year, they have posted a 24-14 record entering Friday, sitting just 1.5 games behind the Dodgers at this point in the season. As players are starting to return, it is easy to feel good about the Padres’ hopes for 2022.

Another key piece of the roster is also getting closer to returning. According to an interview with Jon Heyman, Fernando Tatis Jr. is expected to make his return to the diamond in late June.

San Diego Padres getting closer to Fernando Tatis Jr. return

Tatis has yet to play this season after he arrived to spring training with a broken wrist that had required surgery. While it is unknown exactly when or how the injury occurred, he had been in a motorcycle accident back in December during the lockout.

The Padres have had solid production at short in his absence. Ha-Seong Kim has seemingly found his footing in the majors, having produced a 119 OPS+ while hitting four homers and six doubles in his 121 plate appearances. He has also been solid defensively at short, saving two runs in his 27 games at the position.

As good as Kim has been, he is not even close to the player that Tatis has been in the past. Tatis continued to show that he was establishing himself as a superstar last year, putting together a .282/.364/.611 batting line while leading the National Lague with 42 homers. He also hit 31 doubles and stole 25 bases as he established himself as an all around dynamo in the batter’s box.

His return will make a major difference over the final few months of the season. The Padres are looking to dethrone the Dodgers atop the NL West and bring a title to San Diego. Having Tatis in the lineup could be the difference.

Fernando Tatis Jr. is slowly making his way back to the San Diego Padres. Now they have an idea as to when he should return to the diamond.