‘I'm Learning, I'm Maturing': Fernando Tatis Jr. Apologizes After 80-Game Suspension

Embattled Padres player Fernando Tatis Jr. apologized during a press conference Tuesday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance in late July. Following the test, he was suspended for 80 games by Major League Baseball on Aug. 12 and would not be able to play this season.

“I’m truly sorry … I have let so many people down. I have lost so much love from people. I have failed," said Tatis Jr. during the news conference.

“There’s no other one to blame but myself … I made a mistake,” Tatis Jr. added.

Fernando Tatis Jr: “I’m truly sorry…I have let so many people down. I have lost so much love from people. I have failed.” pic.twitter.com/bgaCBo7DKt

— Darnay Tripp (@DarnayTripp) August 23, 2022

Padres general manager A.J. Preller said there have been some hard conversations and some tough love with Tatis Jr. They've talked about mistakes with the focus being on learning and growing moving forward. Tatis Jr. added that he knows he has to grow in maturity.

I'm going to remember how this feels, and I'm not going to put myself in this position ever again. I know I have a lot of love I have to gain back. I have a lot of work to do, it's going to be a very long process,

Tatis Jr.

Tatis said he’s been dealing with a skin infection and began taking the treatment, Trofobol, in June from the Dominican Republic. But, he said, at the end of the day, there are no excuses.

“It was a stupid mistake, it was me being reckless … I’m regretting all of that,” Tatis Jr. said.

The star shortstop will have surgery on his shoulder ASAP and will be spending the bulk of his offseason time in San Diego. He said that he needs to spend time with his family and knows there are different steps he could have taken. “This is the most terrible time of my life,” he added.

He has received a lot of support and tough love from his teammates, who have his back, Tatis Jr. said.

“I have struggled. I have made mistakes, but I’m gonna learn from it," Tatis Jr. added, repeating that there will be a different story going forward.

Tatis Jr. faced criticism from his teammates, but said that he understood their perspective and had been saying even harsher things to himself in the mirror.

He hopes to be ready as soon as his suspension ends next season.

The suspension effectively ended the All-Star shortstop's season. Up till that time, Tatis had spent the season on the injured list season after breaking his left wrist in an offseason incident involving a motorcycle and needing surgery during Spring Training.

Shortly before his suspension, he had begun a rehabilitation assignment with the Double-A San Antonio Missions. The playoff-contending Padres had expected him to return within the week to bolster their push for a playoff spot.

Tatis' shoulder was problematic last season, causing him to miss multiple games in 2021 after suffering subluxations, which happens when the shoulder temporarily pops out of its socket and slides back in. It's incredibly painful. Once a shoulder subluxates, it's more prone to happen again. The ligaments around the ball and socket are loosened and the labrum becomes more vulnerable to tearing.

The most common ways to treat the problem are surgery or physical therapy, depending on multiple factors like severity of the injury and the natural ability of the individual's body to heal. Tatis made the decision last year not to opt for surgery. Surgery can involve grafting or removing bone or connective tissue in the area, and tightening the labrum, ligaments and tendons. While that would keep the joint from popping out as easily, it also runs the risk of diminished mobility and loss of strength in the shoulder.

The 23-year-old Tatis was an All-Star last season. Flashy at the plate and in the field, he was considered one of the bright, fresh faces of big league baseball. He will not be available for the remainder of 2022 and about the first month of the 2023 regular season.