The Major League Baseball world was stunned when it was announced that San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. had been suspended for 80 games after violating the league’s PED policy. After weeks of making up excuses and passing blame, the slugger has finally offered an apology to his teammates and fans.
Tatis Jr. met with reporters on Tuesday to offer his thoughts.
“I’m truly sorry…I’m really sorry. I have let so many people down,” said Tatis Jr. “I have lost so much love from people. I have failed.
“I’ve failed to the front office of the San Diego Padres…I’ve failed to every fan of this city. I’ve failed to my country. I’ve failed my family, my parents. I’m really sorry for my mistakes. I’ve seen how my dreams have turned into my worst nightmares.”
Fernando Tatis Jr.’s opening statement to the media: pic.twitter.com/g7jUh1LHGs
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) August 23, 2022
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
“There’s no other one to blame but myself,” he added, which is quite the change of tune from previous excuses, which included his father saying to reporters that a bad haircut was to blame.
Tatis now says that he took Trofobol to deal with a skin infection and that it was not prescribed to him by the Padres’ medical staff.
He said he started taking the treatment Trofobol in June. It came from back home in the Dominican.
“It was a stupid mistake, it was me being reckless…I’m regretting all of that.”
— Darnay Tripp (@DarnayTripp) August 23, 2022
It’s been reported that many of Tatis Jr.’s teammates were “livid” with him, while others in the baseball community have chastised the league for coming down so hard on the young player.
Along with his apology, Tatis Jr. also announced that he would be having surgery on his injured shoulder, with the hope that it would be healed up by the time his suspension is over early in the 2023 MLB season.
Tatis said the plan is to have surgery ASAP and hopes to be ready as soon as his suspension ends next season.
— Darnay Tripp (@DarnayTripp) August 23, 2022
Tatis was clearly contrite on Tuesday and his remorseful apology garnered some big reactions from the MLB community afterward.
I’ll say this about the Tatis statement: It’s exactly how fans wish guys in this situation would sound and what they should say. https://t.co/0oc5IywOPW
— Ryan Phillips (@RumorsandRants) August 23, 2022
glad he’s finally doing this, his This Is Fine strategy of just playing through constant dislocations always seemed untenable. there will still be a ton of question marks but hopefully this can be a clean slate in more ways than one and he’ll return next season at some point 100% https://t.co/UyL5Nkmvor
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) August 23, 2022
Oh wow. I didn’t expect that. Good for him. That was ridiculous. Plenty of time to heal before May 2023. https://t.co/DFgjcOwPKU
— Nick Lee (@NickLee51) August 23, 2022
Much love to you @tatis_jr.
It took courage and vulnerability to do what you did today.
I, along with so many people here in San Diego and around the world, *heard* you today and can’t wait to cheer you on next year.
The return of El Niño is going to be something special.
— Justice Parman (@justice_parman) August 23, 2022
That’s a lot of pain and anguish I see in those eyes. I’m hoping it’s genuine and he has truly learned his lesson and is ready to get his career on the right track. Opting for the shoulder surgery is a good step forward. I’m still behind you @tatis_jr. I have all the faith in you. pic.twitter.com/cASIziWgsV
— Patrick Dailey (@PatrickDailey) August 23, 2022