"It's the second time we've been disappointed with him" - Padres RHP Mike Clevinger shares brutally honest take on Fernando Tatis Jr. following his 80-game suspension
The news of Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 80-game suspension arrived as a complete shock last night. The San Diego Padres superstar is now a hot topic of discussion in the baseball fraternity after testing positive for a banned substance.
A news release from MLB confirmed that the substance in question was Clobestol, which is a steroid. The suspension renders Tatis Jr. out for the rest of the season and the first 32 games next year.
The 23-year-old sensation, for all his talent, has received little to no sympathy from his teammates. Padres RHP Mike Clevinger shared his brutally honest assessment of the situation and hopes that Tatis Jr. learns from this setback.
Mike Clevinger, on Fernando Tatis Jr.: "It's the second time we've been disappointed with him, and you hope he grows up and learns from this and learns that it's about more than just him right now."
“This is the second time we’ve been disappointed with him. You hope he grows up and learns from this and learns that it’s about more than just him right now.” - Mike Clevinger
Tatis Jr. has been vehemently criticized within the Padres organization, with general manager A.J. Preller questioning the star shortstop’s maturity.
Tatis Jr. released a statement via the MLB Players Association almost immediately after the news broke.
Statement from Fernando Tatis Jr., released by the MLBPA: https://t.co/NNzFbaKT85
"I want to apologize...for my mistake." - Fernando Tatis Jr., via Mark Feinsand
He justified the test results by saying that he had taken some medication to treat ringworm, which apparently contained the banned substance.
He went on to say that he has “no excuse” for getting himself into this mess, having already provided one.
The Padres will need the Soto-Machado-Bell triumvirate to fire on all cylinders in Fernando Tatis Jr.’s absence
Tatis Jr. has gotten very little sympathy from the Padres fan base. The general consensus is that of disappointment, rather than concern in regard to their postseason ambitions.
The reality is that the Padres were reeling from a five-game losing streak until last Tuesday. They are 16 games behind the Dodgers in the National Leauge West.
The Padres were planning for their playoff push with Tatis Jr. in the mix, but those plans have now been tossed into the shredder.
The good news is that the Padres, in terms of personnel this year, aren’t losing anyone. They haven’t had Fernando Tatis Jr. all season anyway, since he underwent surgery in March to fix a fractured wrist.
The postseason is now the focus, and the Padres have ample time to prepare and sufficient quality to fancy a productive run. They will depend big time on the big trio of Juan Soto, Josh Bell, and Manny Machado to lead their playoff charge.