San Diego Padres superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. left Friday night's game against the Colorado Rockies with a left shoulder injury. After the game, the club announced Tatis suffered another subluxation to the shoulder and on Saturday, he was placed on the injured list. It is at least the third time he has injured the shoulder this season.
Tatis suffered the injured sliding into third base. Here's the video.
"(The shoulder is) more sore than maybe some of them we've had in the past," Padres manager Jayce Tingler told reporters, including Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, on Saturday. The team is hopeful Tatis will miss the minimum 10 days as he missed 10 days with a similar shoulder injury in April.
This is the third this has happened this season to that shoulder. It first happened back in April and many feared Tatis would need surgery and be out for the season, but he's played like an MVP since returning. That is to say, it's certainly possible he only needs to miss a little time and then can come back and play at a high level. It just seems like each time it happens there's a greater chance he's going to need surgery.
Such a scenario would be a crushing blow to the Padres, who currently are in playoff position.
Tatis is hitting .290/.373/.647 with 31 homers, 70 RBI, 79 runs and 23 steals while holding down the premium position of shortstop. The Padres don't really have anyone who could replace that kind of production, obviously, and what's worse is the trade deadline just happened.
Ha-Seong Kim took over at shortstop Friday and could be the one handling the duty with Tatis out. There's also the option to move Jake Cronenworth over there and play newly acquired Adam Frazier at second base.
Tatis is in the first year of a 14-year, $340 million contract.
