Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. Announces Update After Leaving Twins Game

Fernando Tatis Jr. Injury Update

During Sunday’s 7–2 loss to the Twins, manager Mike Shildt removed Tatis and Manny Machado from the game early due to the seven-run deficit.

However, fans speculated that Tatis may have been pulled due to injury after he grabbed at the back of his right leg while chasing a fly ball in the seventh inning and did not return for the eighth.

After the game, Tatis downplayed the concern, telling San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee he had “a little tightness, nothing crazy,” and expects to be in the lineup on Monday.

Although Tatis hasn’t quite replicated the performance that earned him top-5 NL MVP finishes in 2020 and 2021, the 26-year-old remains the most important player on the active roster—and it’s great news he appears to have avoided a major injury.

Since transitioning to the outfield, Tatis has emerged as one of the game’s best defenders.
This year, Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric has him at 10, and his arm strength ranks in the 98th percentile—remarkable considering he came up through the minors as a shortstop.

Tatis has also been a playoff elevator. He’s batting .375 with 18 hits, 6 home runs, 12 RBIs, and 13 runs scored in 13 career postseason games across two separate stints (2020, 2024), though the team has failed to get past the Los Angeles Dodgers in both.