Fernando Tatis Jr Played Through Broken Leg in 2024 for Padres

San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. was one of the many Friars playing with an injury last season. For Tatis, he was essentially playing the remainder of last season on a broken leg.

More news: Padres Manager Updates Manny Machado's Injury, Reveals Timeline to Return

Tatis sustained a stress reaction to his right femur which sidelined him for a few months, but when he returned at the beginning of September he was only around 60 percent healed.

“The guy played with a broken leg and made an All-Star team,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said, via The San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee. “That speaks to … maturity, dedication. And that, I don’t think he gets enough credit for.”

Despite the injury, Tatis put up strong numbers in 2024. Upon his return in September, he batted .267 with an .868 OPS in 22 games.

“I just needed to play baseball,” Tatis said. “I knew it was not probably gonna get way worse than where it was already. And I’m a guy that can control a lot of pain, probably because I have felt a lot of pain through my career. But man, it was just to myself looking at the mirror, you know, saying what I’m capable of doing.”

It's hard to imagine just how well the Padres will play in 2025 with a lineup full of healthy players. Like Tatis, Luis Arraez was also playing with an injury last season. A torn ligament in his left thumb prevented Arraez from showcasing his full potential with the Padres, but he managed to win his third consecutive batting title with the injury.

“How he won a batting title without basically a thumb … was beyond impressive,” Shildt said. “To still mentally compete with that kind of physical ailment and compete well and still lead us into the playoffs, very, very impressive. … And now he looks healthy, and watch out.”

Padres star Manny Machado is feeling better than ever after dealing with lingering elbow issues throughout 2024.

"It's great, man. It feels good. It feels great," said the six-time All-Star. "It feels like it's back to normal at some point. It's been a different offseason, I'm able to do a lot of things I've done in the past you know swings feeling a lot better, throwing has been feeling a lot better from this point last year so you know feels [like] I'm in a good spot."

The Padres have never been able to spend like their rivals in Hollywood, but the small-market team has displayed a level of grit unmatched by other clubs around the league. Players battling injuries while still competing is a testament to San Diego's identity.

More news: Jackson Merrill 'Curious' About New Spot in Padres Lineup