Padres' Tatis suspended 80 games for violating PED policy
San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. has been suspended 80 games for violating Major League Baseball's performance-enhancing drug policy.
The 23-year-old has been sidelined for the entirety of the 2022 campaign thus far due to a wrist injury but had begun rehab assignments. Tatis broke his wrist in December during a motorcycle accident. He was 2-for-9 with a double and a triple in four games with Double-A San Antonio.
MLB announced Tatis tested positive for clostebol, a synthetic steroid that increases testosterone. Dee Strange-Gordon tested positive for the same substance in 2016.
"It turns out that I inadvertently took a medication to treat ringworm that contained clostebol," Tatis said in a statement released by the MLBPA and obtained by MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. "I should have used the resources available to me in order to ensure that no banned substances were in what I took. I failed to do so.
"I want to apologize to (Padres owner) Peter (Seidler), (general manager) A.J. (Preller), the entire Padres organization, my teammates, Major League Baseball, and fans everywhere for my mistake. I have no excuse for my error, and I would never do anything to cheat or disrespect the game I love."
Tatis added: "There is nowhere else in the world I would rather be than on the field competing with my teammates. After initially appealing the suspension, I have realized my mistake was the cause of this result, and for that reason, I have decided to start serving my suspension immediately. I look forward to rejoining my teammates on the field in 2023."
The former All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger added he was "devastated" he'll now miss the remainder of the 2022 campaign, plus an additional 32 games to start the 2023 season.
He'll lose approximately $2.9 million in salary due to the suspension.
"We were surprised and extremely disappointed to learn today that Fernando Tatis Jr. tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Prevention and Treatment Program and subsequently received an 80-game suspension without pay," the Padres said in a statement obtained by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
"We fully support the program and are hopeful that Fernando will learn from this experience."
As a 22-year-old last year, Tatis finished third in NL MVP voting after leading the Senior Circuit with 42 homers. He also hit .282/.364/.611 and stole 25 bases in 130 games.
Prior to the 2021 season, Tatis and the Padres agreed on a mammoth 14-year, $340-million extension.
San Diego is currently in second place in the NL West, occupying the final wild-card spot in the league at 63-51. The club underwent a massive facelift during the trade deadline, landing outfielder Juan Soto and left-handed closer Josh Hader in separate blockbusters.