Fernando Tatis Jr. is back and fans of the San Diego Padres are ecstatic.
The Padres activated Tatis from the 60-day injured list and added him to the lineup for Monday's game against the Detroit Tigers. As he ran out to take the field before the top of the first inning, the crowd at Petco Park erupted in cheers that became a sustained standing ovation for the returning All-Star.
Video is below.
Fernando Tatis Jr. runs out into right field at Petco Park for the first time in more than 2 months and the fans are loving it.
— Sammy Levitt (@SammyLev) September 2, 2024
Jackson Merrill looks pretty happy, too. pic.twitter.com/04XO71JOv8
Another angle.
You’ve missed this, haven’t you?#Padres pic.twitter.com/MOBMJHNVj2
— Bernie Wilson (@berniewilson) September 2, 2024
Tatis has not played since June 21 and has been dealing with a stress reaction in his right thigh. He likely won't be 100% for the rest of the season, but the team thinks he's strong enough to contribute for the stretch run.
Tatis earned his second All-Star nod this year and was named a starter despite being on the injured list. In 80 games he was hitting .279 with a .354 on-base percentage, while slugging .468. His .821 OPS came with 14 home runs and 36 RBIs.
After a slow start in April and May, he was heating up in June and posted a 1.062 OPS and seven home runs for the month. The Padres are hoping he can bounce back with that kind of form quickly as they are in the thick of the National League playoff race.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Padres Fans Give Fernando Tatis Jr. Wild Ovation in Return From IL.
