Latest Fernando Tatis Jr. injury update spells trouble for Padres

Fernando Tatis Jr. may not be ready to return to the Padres in June

The San Diego Padres have been making do without Fernando Tatis Jr. all season.

Thanks to a fractured wrist, he’s been on the sidelines, and the latest report suggests he might stay there a bit longer. While Tatis’ initial projected return was the end of June, manager Bob Melvin said earlier this week that it might be later. According to Melvin, an MRI scan might set Tatis back further.

“He is still behind the level of recovery progress. It is more we’re not even there yet. He’s been doing shortstop drills, throwing some throws to first base and he’s doing a lot of conditioning trying to get as active as possible.”

It’s disappointing news, considering the overall weak lineup. They’re significantly below league average in runs, hits, home runs, total bases, batting average, slugging percentage and OPS. The team has been getting by with Manny Machado, but after a two-day injury hiatus, the Friars may be in for a rude awakening.

Manny Machado is dealing with an injury that’s kept him out of the Padres lineup

Machado, who is currently the Padres’ key bat and a big name in the MVP conversation, was out two games over the weekend with tennis elbow. This injury is a common result of overuse, and if he continues to overexert himself, it could worsen.

The first night of his absence already proved troublesome for the Padres; they left a season-high 16 baserunners stranded and twice were unable to score with the bases loaded in Machado’s usual spot.

The Padres need immediate lineup upgrades, and made one on June 1, releasing Robinson Canó and calling up Nomar Mazara from Triple-A. Melvin has acknowledged that the lineup needs power, but it’s unclear what significant changes they’ll make to achieve that. Thankfully, Machado is back in and healthy for now.