MLB Twitter reacts as Los Angeles Dodgers fans boo Fernando Tatis Jr. in Spring Training game: "Classless as always" "Booing in spring?"
San Diego Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. was roundly booed by Los Angeles Dodgers fans during his first at-bat of Spring Training between the teams on Monday.
Tatis is in his first week of spring games after being sidelined since 2021 due to injury and suspension. He is not eligible to return to regular-season games until April 20, as he remains suspended for failing a performance-enhancing drug test last season. Nevertheless, he is eligible to play in Spring Training.
Fernando Tatis Jr. receives boos in his first AB against the Dodgers https://t.co/hu4RqFeuk2
Fernando Tatis Jr. went 0-3 in the game, but told reporters afterward that he was excited to be booed by his rivals:
"Oh yeah. All the time. Feels great. When you hear those boos, you definitely got history."
Question to Fernando Tatis Jr: “Feel good to get booed by Dodgers fans again?”
Tatis: “Oh yeah. All the time. Feels great. When you hear those boos, you definitely got history.” https://t.co/Tcp4bz82UO
Baseball fans from San Diego and elsewhere were quick to denounce Dodger fans for booing Tatis.
Dodgers fans classless as always twitter.com/talkinbaseball…
@TalkinBaseball_ Booing in spring? Ooh they mad. https://t.co/wEpCiYd7jC
Dodger fans are fucken losers twitter.com/talkinbaseball…
As the boos sounded out, Fernando Tatis Jr. quickly found himself down 0-1 in the count after he received a pitch clock violation for not being ready to face Dodgers starter Noah Syndergaard in time. Syndergaard retired Tatis on the next pitch, forcing him into a pop fly to second base.
However, the debate over Los Angeles fans booing Tatis raged on long after the at-bat ended.
@TalkinBaseball_ Soft fans of a cheating team.
@TalkinBaseball_ So what. They can boo and talk all they want. They're all afraid of him. If they weren't they wouldn't say anything.
@TalkinBaseball_ Dodger fans are stuck in their own condescending world
The Dodgers faithful have plenty of sore feelings towards the Padres after last season. Los Angeles topped San Diego by 22 games in the National League West standings, but were beaten in the NL Division Series. While Tatis had nothing to do with the playoff outcome, he took the brunt of Dodgers fans' angst Monday.
@TalkinBaseball_ Wait, did the non rivalry warrant boos in spring? That's odd.
@TalkinBaseball_ Booing your main rival. Never seen that before.
@TalkinBaseball_ Why are they booing the owner of Petco Park North? 🤔
@TalkinBaseball_ If Tatis can regain his form that lineup is lethal, but dealing with all those egos has to be a manager's worst nightmare. Padres VS Dodgers is must see tv.
Fernando Tatis Jr. likely ready to put 2022 behind him
Fernando Tatis Jr. was well on his way to becoming one of the main poster kids of MLB after a stellar first three major league seasons. He was third in the 2019 National League Rookie of the Year balloting, fourth in the 2020 NL Most Valuable Player vote and third in the 2021 MVP chase.
Over three seasons, he logged a .292 batting average with a .965 WHIP. He led the NL with 42 home runs in 2021 and made his first All-Star Game appearance.
However, an offseason motorcycle accident kept him off the field for much of the 2022 season. Then, just before he was about to return in August, MLB handed down the PED suspension and ended his year.
Still just 24 years old, Tatis has plenty of time to make up for the lost season as the on-field leader of a star-studded Padres lineup in 2023.