The San Diego Padres enter this week with one more defeat than victory and a bit below the league average in both runs per game and team OPS, but a rather important lineup reinforcement is on the way for them and eager fantasy managers. Perhaps you have heard of him? Oh, I bet you have. He is rostered in nearly every ESPN standard league and currently raking on his "rehab assignment" for suspension at Triple-A El Paso, batting .515 with a lofty 1.802 OPS, seven home runs and 15 RBI in eight games.
Welcome back, Fernando Tatis Jr.!
Tatis is eligible to rejoin the Padres this Thursday at Arizona, with the Diamondbacks scheduled to start RHP Kyle Nelson. It would be San Diego's 20th game of the season, and that fulfills the rest of the Tatis suspension from last season, when he never played at all. Tatis, eligible at SS and OF in ESPN standard leagues, is expected to play right field and perhaps hit leadoff. That would adjust the lineup, of course, and end the RF rotation of Jose Azocar, Rougned Odor and others. We'll take it.