San Diego Padres' Star Making Major Switch in Winter Ball
San Diego Padres' star Fernando Tatis Jr. will be playing shortstop in the Dominican Winter League, despite the fact that he just won a Gold Glove playing right field in the majors.
Per Marino Pepen on social media:
FRASE DEL DÍA: “Los #Padres no han pedido que Fernando Tatis Jr. juegue SS. Él jugó RF porque contrataron a un buen SS (Xander Bogaerts), pero su posición natural es SS y ahí estará jugando con las #Estrellas”. -Fernando Tatis Sr.
When you translate the phrase on "X" it comes out as this:
“The #Padres have not asked that Fernando Tatis Jr. play SS. He played RF because they hired a good SS (Xander Bogaerts), but his natural position is SS and there he will be playing with the #Estrellas .” -Fernando Tatis Sr. #LIDOM
So, this is interesting a on a few different fronts. First, Estrellas is under no obligation to play Tatis Jr. where the Padres do. They can play him where they see fit. That said, the team is probably disappointed to see him not playing right field and if Tatis Jr. had really wanted to play right field, he probably could have made that the case. He evidently wants to play shortstop, which is his natural position.
Tatis Jr. is one of the foundational pieces of the Padres' organization and he did come up at shortstop, but was moved off the position after missing all of 2022 with injury and because of a suspension for PEDs. The team signed Bogaerts prior to the 2023 season.
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