“We Were Hoping…There Would Be Some Maturity”- Padres GM Left ‘Disappointed’ by Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 80 Game Suspension for PED Violation; Questions ROI With Star Slugger

MLB authorities suspended San Diego Padres’ famous slugger Fernando Tatis Jr. for 80 games. The slugger got busted for performance-enhancing drug intake and will miss all the remaining games in the ongoing season.

Fernando Tatis Jr. is a shortstop for the San Diego Padres. Notably, his MLB debut was with the Padres in 2019. While he is popular for his athletic defense and powerful hitting, he also is a one-time All-Star.

Tatis Jr. is the latest addition to the disgraced elite club of baseball players to be suspended for drug use violations. A sport that has long wrestled with drug scandals, he comes in as the newest entity. He violated Major League Baseball’s ‘Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program’ laws. 

Fernando Tatis Jr.: Another talented athlete in disrepute 

Scandals related to drug use are not a tale previously unheard of in sports. Baseball, in particular, has had decades-long battles with steroids. Some of the greatest players have turned infamous for taking drugs to polish their records. It includes the best players in baseball like Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, etc.

Because of these drug scandals, the aforementioned legendary players have not yet received an MLB Hall Of Fame induction. Now a fresh recruit in that dishonored club is Fernando Tatis Jr. According to a report, Tatis Jr. recently failed a dope test. He tested positive for taking Clostebol, a performance-enhancing substance forbidden by MLB authorities. 

Padres, general manager A. J. Preller, was understandably very unhappy with Tatis Jr. and the whole incident. Speaking in an interview, Preller said, “It’s very disappointing. He’s somebody from the organization’s standpoint we’ve invested time and money into. When he’s on the field, he’s a difference maker. You have to learn from the situations.” 

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Preller added, “We were hoping that from the offseason to now that there would be some maturity, and obviously with the news today, it’s more of a pattern and it’s something that we’ve got to dig a bit more into…. I’m sure he’s very disappointed. But at the end of the day, it’s one thing to say it. You’ve got to start showing by your actions.” 

Tatis Jr.: The road ahead for the tarnished youngster 

The ban with immediate effect has restricted Tatis Jr. from participating in the Padres’ remaining 48 regular season games to follow. If Padres go on to play any postseason games this year, the fixtures will count within the 80-game suspension. The rest of the ban will be served at the beginning of next season. Tatis Jr. has also got eliminated from playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic until the conclusion of the ban.

Can Fernando Tatis Jr. restore his lost pride from next season onwards? 

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