Yankees fans serenade Fernando Tatis Jr. with ‘steroids’ reputation; The Padres outfielder sunbathes in it
Fernando Tatis Jr. really loves being Major League Baseball’s new villain.
The San Diego Padres outfielder missed the entire 2022 season after sustaining an injury in a motorcycle crash but was handed an 80-game suspension on performance-enhancing drugs just as he was due to return.
Tatis returned earlier this year but will be ridiculed for the rest of his career. It was certainly no different on Friday night in the Bronx.
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Xander Bogaerts #2 and Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres celebrate defeating the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on May 26, 2023 in the Bronx, New York. The San Diego Padres defeated the New York Yankees 5-1. (Elsa/Getty Images)
In the Padres’ New York game against the Yankees, right-wing bleachers hit Creatures Tatis with the long taunt of “steroids.”
Most players would ignore it and probably hate it – but Fernando Tatis Jr. is not like most players.
The star outfielder seemed to enjoy every second of it and acted as conductor of the taunts.
Oh, and Tatis wasn’t done with that – he moonshot into the top deck, pulled off an epic batflip and hit an imaginary jumpshot around third base in San Diego’s 5-1 win in the Bronx.
This isn’t the first time Tatis has addressed the taunts. When the Chicago Cubs chanted “He’s on steroids” to him, he actually danced to it.
Tatis said he “accidentally” took one Drugs containing clostebola banned substance while treating a case of ringworm.
Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres celebrates defeating the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on May 26, 2023 in the Bronx, New York. The San Diego Padres defeated the New York Yankees 5-1. (Elsa/Getty Images)
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“I should have used the means at my disposal to make sure there were no prohibited substances in what I was taking. I failed to do that,” he said in a statement.
Tatis said he initially appealed the suspension but “I realized that my mistake was the cause of this result and for that reason I have decided to start serving my suspension immediately.”
“I have no apologies for my mistake and would never do anything to cheat or disrespect this game that I love,” he added.
Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres jogs around bases after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York. (Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)
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Tatis signed a 13-year, $340 million contract ahead of the 2021 season third most lucrative deal in MLB history at that time. Francisco Lindor surpassed him by $1 million before the start of this season, and Aaron Judge’s nine-year, $360 million contract this offseason also surpassed Tatis’ tally, and teammate Manny Machado signed a $350 million contract extension before opening day .
Despite their wild signings, the Padres are only 24-27 and fourth in the NL West.