Why did Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. scrub his Instagram?

Fernando Tatis Jr. wipes his Instagram after rough start to 2022 Padres season

It’s been a rough couple of weeks post-lockout for Fernando Tatis Jr.

The San Diego Padres star arrived at Spring Training with a fracture in his arm, requiring surgery. He will miss approximately three months, seriously hampering his team’s hopes of contending in 2022.

His comments about motorcycle accidents – yes, plural – did not help the situation; during a normal offseason, he would likely have been in breach of his contract by engaging in reckless behavior. The drama led new manager Bob Melvin to declare that the young star’s motorcycle-riding days were over.

Now, Tatis has wiped his Instagram clean, save for one childhood photo uploaded in 2016.

Tatis isn’t the first MLB player to give himself a social media makeover; Phillies star Jean Segura did the same thing last fall, prompting fans to wonder if the team had traded him.

While some Twitter users speculated that it’s to save himself from negative comments, he could’ve achieved that by simply turning off the comment feature. That’s what Bryce Harper did last year during the MVP race, though that was because he didn’t want positive comments to distract him from his goals.

How will the Padres supplement Fernando Tatis Jr.’s offensive production while he recovers from injury?

Tatis was one of the best hitters in MLB last season, and his absence will hurt the Padres immensely. In 2021, he hit .282/.364/.611 with a .975 OPS, scored 99 times, drove in 97 runs, and led both his team and the entire NL with 42 home runs. He finished third in MVP voting and won his second consecutive Silver Slugger.

Bob Melvin lays down the law after Fernando Tatis Jr.’s motorcycle accident comments

Bob Melvin made it clear that Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. will no longer be riding motorcycles after news that a broken wrist will sideline him 3 months.