Source: Denis Poroy / Getty
San Diego Padres All-Star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. was suspended for 80 games immediately after testing positive for Clostebol, a
performance-enhancing substance violating MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
ESPN reports that Tatis’ suspension will mean that he will not be able to play another game this season and will not appeal the “mistake” he made. In a statement, Tatis claims he took a medication to treat ringworm that contained the banned substance.
“It turns out that I inadvertently took a medication to treat ringworm that contained Clostebol,” Tatis said in a statement. “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 [team owner] Peter [Seidler], AJ [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 this game I love. I have taken countless drug tests throughout my professional career, including on March 29, 2022, all of which have returned negative results until this test,” he continued.
“I am completely devastated,” Fernando Tatis Jr. continued. “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 that 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 Padres Championship Hopes Fade Without Fernando Tatis Jr.
The San Diego Padres had high hopes this season would be a championship one, especially after landing disgruntled slugger Juan Soto in a trade from the Washington Nationals. According to
ESPN, the Padres’ odds to win the World Series moved from 13-1 to 16-1 at Caesars Sportsbook
.
Padres general manager A.J. Preller spoke on Tatis’ suspension calling it disappointing and saying the team hoped to see more maturity out of the young star.
“He’s somebody that from the organization’s standpoint we’ve invested time and money into,” Preller told reporters. “When he’s on the field, he’s a difference-maker. You have to learn from the situations. We were hoping that from the offseason to now that there would be some maturity, and obviously, with the news today, it’s more of a pattern, and it’s something that we’ve got to dig a bit more into. … I’m sure he’s very disappointed. But at the end of the day, it’s one thing to say it. You’ve got to start showing by your actions.”
“I think what we need to get to is a point in time we trust [him]. Over the course of the last six or seven months, that’s been something that we haven’t been really able to have there,” Preller added.
As expected, once hopeful Padre fans are now panicking following the news of Fernando Tatis Jr. getting caught using a banned substance.
Peep those reactions in the gallery below.
Photo: Denis Poroy / Getty
