The King is Back! Fernando Tatis Jr. Makes Triumphant Return, Ethan Salas Shines Bright
The first 2025 Cactus League game under the lights for the San Diego Padres also served as the spring debut for superstar right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. He was joined in the lineup by starters Luis Arraez, Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts among others. Manny Machado was supposed to play, but was scratched prior to the start of the game due to a sore back.
Tatis Jr. missed the start of Spring Training with the flu, but told reporters at the beginning of camp that he was healed from the stress fracture in his quad that limited him in 2024. The thought of a fully healthy Tatis Jr. created excitement throughout the fan base heading into the season.
The anticipation of Tatis Jr.’s spring debut reached a crescendo when he strode to the plate in the bottom of the second inning. Arraez reached on an error and was standing on first base. Tatis Jr. worked a 2-2 count before hitting a four-seam fastball 355 feet to centerfield where the ball was caught for the first out of the inning.
Tatis Jr. got his second chance at the plate in the bottom of the third inning after Arraez reached on an RBI single to tie the game, 1-1. Tatis Jr. wasted no time in his second at bat and hit the first pitch he saw, a sinker, 106.5 mph off the bat. Unfortunately, it was just left of Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson and resulted in a ground ball double play to end the inning.
