Fernando Tatis Jr. Hints at Major Change Upon Return From Injury

Updated: Sep 10, 5:00pm UTC

Anticipation is beginning to grow among San Diego fans as Fernando Tatis Jr.'s return to the field is expected to come at some point in late July. The Padres may have a trick or two up their sleeve, though, as the star shortstop hinted at a possible position change to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal.

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Rosenthal simply asked Tatis if he would be able to play center field, a position in which the Padres have struggled to find a consistent starter. Trent Grisham currently sports a disappointing .192/.290/.332 slash line. The 23-year-old simply laughed and said that a change like that isn't out of the question.

Keep in mind this is nothing like how Tatis approached the subject at the end of the 2021 season. He was adamant about being a shortstop at that time, but that was well before Ha-Seong Kim emerged as a defensive standout. His efforts have helped San Diego rank fifth in outs above average so far.

Playing center field would allow Tatis to ease back into action following wrist surgery in March. He wouldn't have to constantly make throws from awkward arm angles. Of course, the Padres could always opt to trade for an outfielder, instead, and move Kim to a super-utility role coming off the bench.

While a lot could change in the next month, an outfield consisting of Jurickson Profar, Wil Myers and Tatis has to at least be an intriguing option for San Diego to consider. The Padres have odds set at +1300 to win the World Series, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

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