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San Diego Padres lineup could get more help soon

By David Hill

Jun 25, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) looks on from the dugout before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 25, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) looks on from the dugout before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /
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The trade deadline may have come and gone, but that does not mean that the San Diego Padres cannot improve their lineup in the coming days.

That help would be coming in the form of Fernando Tatis Jr. According to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com, the Padres are hoping that Tatis will be back in the lineup at some point in the middle of September.

San Diego Padres could get Fernando Tatis Jr. back soon

As it is, the Padres already made moves at the deadline to improve the lineup. Eric Hosmer was shipped to Boston while Juan Soto, Josh Bell, and Brandon Drury came to town. Those moves alone would considerably improve the Padres lineup.

Adding Tatis brings in yet another MVP caliber bat to add to Soto and Manny Machado. The 2021 NL home run king is another power/speed threat, someone that can change the game in every possible way. He had produced an excellent 166 OPS+ with 42 homers and 31 doubles over his 546 plate appearances while chipping in 25 steals. The Padres, even with the firepower they added, could certainly use that production.

There are some questions surrounding Tatis however. He has not played at all this season after fracturing a bone in his wrist during the offseason. The Padres had initially hoped that he would return sometime in June after undergoing surgery in March, but he was unable to recover at the pace that they had hoped for.

In theory, the Padres could bring him back for the end of August and still be within his window. Tatis has started his rehab assignment, kicking off that 20 day window for him to be activated. At this point, the Padres are not expecting his time in Triple-A to last nearly that long.

dark. Next. Soto alone atop impressive list

The San Diego Padres already brought in several reinforcements for the lineup. Fernando Tatis Jr. is on the way back soon as well.

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