A Year After Infamous PED Suspension, Fernando Tatis Jr. Gets a Hero’s Welcome From a Jam-Packed Petco Park

Making a comeback from injury is not easy. But doing it after a PED scandal is even harder. But Fernando Tatis Jr. has managed to do both and do so with full confidence. The San Diego Padres’ star outfielder fought through the controversy and has made it back to MLB. Most recently, he received a big welcome in his first game at Padres’ home stadium Petco Park.

Tatis Jr. suffered a wrist injury and missed the start of the 2022 season. He was then slapped with an 80-game PED suspension after testing positive for PEDs. But despite all of this, Tatis Jr. has returned to baseball and received a big welcome in his first home game. 

San Diego Padres fans welcomed Fernando Tatis Jr. back to Petco Park with loud cheers

Fernando Tatis Jr. finally played his first home contest at Petco Park after his 80-game PED suspension. The reactions from the crowd were nothing short of overwhelming. Padres fans were extremely excited to see their star outfielder back at home. MLB insider Hector Gomez shared 2 videos on Twitter from Tatis Jr.’s first home game back against the Cincinnati Reds. The crowd roared both during his first fielding appearance and his first at-bat. 

In a Tweet, Gomez said, “This is how Padres fans received Fernando Tatis Jr. on his return to Petco Park. @z101digital”. The home fans didn’t hold back their cheers as the $340 million star made his return. It was a warm welcome for a player who has suffered a lot of setbacks over the last few months.

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Tatis Jr. put on a show for the home crowd as he recorded 3 hits in 5 at-bats. He also scored a run during the game. The Padres beat the Reds 5-3 to start off their 3-game home series with a win. Furthermore, Tatis Jr. showed his worth to their batting lineup.

Tatis Jr. is critical to the Padres’ season

The San Diego Padres are aiming to make the World Series this year and possibly challenge for the title. Fernando Tatis Jr. is a key part of the team and will be needed to achieve that goal. His batting at the top of the order is alone enough to justify his importance. Add to that his fielding and base running and Tatis Jr. is indispensable. The star outfielder started the season a bit slowly, but his batting looks to be gaining momentum. 

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What do you think of the welcome that Fernando Tatis Jr. received during his first game back at Petco Park? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.