Fernando Tatis Jr.’s projected return date won’t make Padres fans happy

Latest injury update on Fernando Tatis Jr. is a late-June return

Fernando Tatis Jr. has a projected return timetable, but it’s not exactly good news.

The San Diego Padres superstar began the season on the 60-day Injured List after sustaining a wrist fracture at some point in the offseason, possibly (probably) he says from motorcycle accidents. Yes, plural.

The lineup is getting the job done without Tatis, but it hasn’t been easy. Manny Machado has stepped up big-time and leads the National League in offensive WAR, batting average, on-base percentage, and hits. However, the team is significantly below league average in hits, home runs, batting average, slugging, and OPS, to name a few offensive metrics.

Clearly, the Padres need Tatis back as soon as possible, which is why the latest speculation isn’t ideal.

Whereas the earlier projections had Tatis returning in early June and he said he hoped to be ahead of schedule, Jon Heyman reported this week that it’s looking more like he’ll be back at the end of the month.

The Padres are 24-14, just a game and a half behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in their division. Without their manager, they took two of three each from the Phillies and Braves in their own ballparks.

But the dip in offensive production without Tatis isn’t sustainable.