Here is something that many expected to see: Finally, the Dominican Fernando Tatis Jr. seeing action on the field.
The Padres superstar began his rehab assignment with Double-A San Antonio on Saturday — his first game in more than 10 months. But, after so much waiting, Tatis had to see almost two hours go by for her first opportunity to swing.
Tatis was San Antonio’s leadoff hitter at DH in a 5-1 loss to the Wichita branch of the Twins. In each of his first two plate appearances, he walked four pitches. Tatis struck out giving him his first official at-bat in the fifth, then flied out in the eighth inning, going 0-2 with that pair of walks.
The Quisqueyano underwent an operation after a fracture in the left wrist on March 16. He was cleared to start swinging in mid-July, and his current rehab assignment is the last stage in his process before he moves up to San Diego.
The Friars have not set a date for Tatis’s return. Manager Bob Melvin noted that the infielder could play shortstop and center field during his rehab assignment.
