Padres shortstop Fernando Tatís Jr. fractured his wrist during the offseason and will require surgery, San Diego general manager A.J. Preller announced Monday.
Tatís’ injury could sideline him for at least three months, Preller said. With the regular season beginning in three weeks, the timing is less than ideal for one of San Francisco’s National League West rivals.
The 23-year-old phenom led the NL with 42 home runs last year. He finished third in MVP voting and made his first All-Star team.
The San Diego Padres were snakebitten by injuries and underperforming pitching in 2021, but still have a roster loaded with enough talent to contend in the division. According to Action Network, San Diego has the second-best odds to win the NL West at +275, behind the Dodgers (-137). The Giants have the third-best odds, at +335, though things can change due to Tatís’ injury and how the rest of the offseason plays out.
But bouncing back from their 79-83 season will be much more difficult without their shortstop. Details of the nature of Tatís’ wrist injury weren’t immediately clear, but the impact of his ailment will make itself obvious once the Padres begin their season without him.