"Fernando Tatis Jr. has served his time" - Sportscaster reveals conflicted stance on Padres superstar's PED issue

San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. has “served his time,” according to MLB analyst Chris Rose.

During the latest episode of JM Baseball, published on Jan. 3, Rose and Trevor Plouffe discussed various topics, including the perception of Tatis Jr.

Rose believes that although Fernando Tatis Jr. is an exceptional player with Hall of Fame potential, he might struggle to garner votes due to the failed drug test in 2022, which resulted in an 80-game suspension. Nonetheless, Rose feels that fans should move on and allow Tatis Jr. to demonstrate his abilities. Rose stated:

“He has served his time.”

Rose questioned the motives behind Fernando Tatis Jr.’s PED usage, stating:

“Was I buying his ringworm thing? I don't know about that. But whatever it was, you’re responsible for whatever you put into your body. So, I just wouldn’t vote for him for the Hall of Fame.”

Rose ended his point by saying:

“That doesn’t mean I can't enjoy watching him now, still.”

The comments highlight that despite the somewhat negative perception surrounding Tatis Jr., he remains a fantastic ballplayer deserving of attention. It remains to be seen if his future performance will be enough to shift fans' and media's focus away from the negative image he has built for himself.

Looking back at Fernando Tatis Jr.’s PED suspension

In 2022, Major League Baseball suspended Tatis Jr., for violating its performance-enhancing substance policy. As a first-time offender, he received an 80-game suspension.

According to The Athletic, Tatis Jr. claimed he had taken a medication containing the banned substance Clostebol to treat a case of ringworm. However, the league did not find this explanation sufficient to justify the consumption of Clostebol, resulting in the suspension.

Fernando Tatis Jr. subsequently issued a public statement, saying:

“I should have used the resources available to me in order to ensure that no banned substances were in what I took. I failed to do so.”

The public contrition preceded the ban, which kept the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year off the field for the entire 2022 season. He returned for the 2023 season, but his numbers took a significant dip, as Rose noted.

Since then, Tatis Jr.’s numbers have not rebounded to his pre-suspension levels with the San Diego Padres. In 2023, he hit 25 home runs, down from 42 in 2021. In 2024, his home run numbers further dipped to 21.

It remains to be seen if a fully healthy 2025 season will allow Fernando Tatis Jr. to return to the level that made him one of the league’s brightest rising stars.