Back from flu, Tatis clears the fence
AJ Cassavell
@AJCassavellPEORIA, Ariz. -- Fernando Tatis Jr. returned to Padres camp on Wednesday after he spent several days away from the team while battling the flu.
Prior to the team¡¯s workout Wednesday, manager Mike Shildt noted that Tatis¡¯ workload on his first day back would likely be light -- predicated mostly on how he was feeling.
Sure looks like Tatis is feeling OK.
In his first live BP session, Tatis crushed a monstrous home run off of new Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta on a Peoria Sports Complex back field. After taking full batting practice, Tatis received three live at-bats against Pivetta. He struck out in each of the first two before crushing a homer to center field.
¡°I felt good,¡± Tatis said. ¡°I was down with the flu, but it was nothing crazy. Just trying to be smart about it. I came out feeling good.¡±
The flu has been far too present at Padres camp this spring. Catcher Luis Campusano was also sidelined for a few days recently, though he made his return to the starting lineup on Wednesday afternoon. Campusano went 1-for-2 and caught four scoreless innings in the Padres¡¯ 3-1 victory over the White Sox at Camelback Ranch.
¡°Knock on wood a little bit, it looks like everybody¡¯s in camp now,¡± Shildt said. ¡°And, hopefully, whatever¡¯s going around is over.¡±
It remains unclear when Tatis will make his Cactus League debut, though the Padres¡¯ trip on Thursday to face the A¡¯s in Mesa is almost certainly off the table. It could come Friday night against Seattle, but that largely will be predicated on Tatis.
¡°We trust him,¡± Shildt said. ¡°He¡¯s going into his seventh year. He knows what he needs to do, knows his body. He¡¯ll come back, get what he needs, and we¡¯ll kind of build from there.¡±