Rangers start unnecessary beef with Padres by throwing at Fernando Tatis Jr. twice

On Friday night, the Padres won an exciting spring training game against the Texas Rangers, 9-8. There was plenty of back-and-forth, which made watching Padres spring games worthwhile. Although San Diego was victorious, Friars fans are more so fired up about what the Rangers did to Fernando Tatis Jr. not once, but twice at Peoria Stadium.

In the bottom of the first inning, Kumar Rocker hit Tatis Jr. in the head by a 95.3 MPH fastball. Tatis Jr. stayed in the game, but only to be given another scare in the fourth inning. Facing Dane Dunning, Tatis Jr. almost took a sinker to the head. He managed to duck for cover in time, eventually walking in that plate appearance.

Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. gets hit in head against Rangers, narrowly avoids second HBP

Tatis Jr. seems to be fine, but what gives from the Rangers? Throwing high and inside is always going to be risky, and if a pitcher flirts with almost plunking a star, there is surely going to be some backlash from fans.

After hitting the 60-day injured list last season, the Padres need Fernando Tatis Jr. fully healthy in 2025. It's obviously not Tatis Jr.'s fault, but these scares simply cannot happen.

The Padres will face the Rangers one more time in spring training on March 20, and then won't see them until a three-game series in San Diego in July. Do you think the Padres are going to forget that Texas threw at their star player's head twice in a spring game? Definitely not, but San Diego could let it go and draw it up as an accident from Rocker and Dunning. However, these are the things that players especially do not forget so easily.

Entering Saturday, Tatis Jr. has a spring training OPS over 1.000. As he gets more comfortable at the plate following a start to the spring with an illness, the last thing the Friars need is for him to get hit in the head.