Padres shortstop Fernando Tatís Jr. learned from doctors on Tuesday that he can begin swinging a bat again in two weeks.
Tatís Jr. met with doctors for an X-ray on Tuesday in Phoenix where he described the visit as the first time he “came out happy after a doctor’s appointment,” according to the San Diego Union Tribune.
Tatís Jr. suffered an injury to his wrist during an offseason motorcycle accident in the Dominican Republic. He underwent surgery to repair what would be described as a “slow-healing injury” to his broken wrist in mid-March.
Once Tatís is cleared to swing at balls off of a tee, the 2021 All-Star will have to wait an additional ten days before he can begin hitting pitches from a machine. With his current update, Tatís could potentially return in late July or early August, pending his rehab process.
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Initially, Tatís was slated to miss three months. Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci reported that Tatís had the potential to return just before or after the All-Star break, which begins on July 15 ahead of the July 19th game.
The 23-year-old believes that once he gets his “timing” and body together, he will be ready for his return.
“… I’ve been playing this game since I was a kid, since I have memory,” Tatís told the Tribune. “So it's more about getting my body in [baseball] shape.”
Tatís is currently playing on the 14-year, $330 million contract that he signed during 2021 spring training. According to Spotrac, Tatís has one of the largest active MLB contracts.
Last season, Tatís Jr. hit .282/.364/.611 in 130 games. He also hit 42 home runs, the fifth most in MLB.
