Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. left Sunday's loss to the Nationals after being injured on an awkward play.
The key now: How will his injured left hamstring feel a day later.
Tatis was injured while taking a throw at second base in the 10th inning after a Victor Robles bunt as the rookie stretched out for the ball and accidentally did a full split.
Warning: This is very painful to watch.
this is the stretch that made fernando tatis jr. leave today’s game for padres: pic.twitter.com/M2agh37TQg
— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildstein) April 28, 2019
Tatis immediately grabbed at his left hamstring and stayed face-down on the field for a couple of minutes. He left the field under his own power, albeit walking gingerly.
Immediately after the game, it was unclear whether he would be sidelined.
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Tatis, who was not available for comment, hobbled from the training room without help as the Padres quickly readied for their bus to the airport, but added: "His did not seem, however, to be the gait of someone who would be playing 24 hours later."
Still, two unidentified sources cited by the Union-Tribune said Sunday night that the preliminary indication is Tatis wouldn’t miss more than a few days. There is even a possibility, one unidentified source said, that Tatis could in the lineup Monday against the Braves in Atlanta.
How Tatis feels Monday morning will be a key indicator, and one option is for the team to rest him to be safe.
“Hamstrings are funny things,” Padres manager Andy Green said Sunday. “You never know. He might feel great tomorrow. It might take a long time.”
By the way, the runner, Wilmer Difo, was safe at second because Tatis' foot came off the bag on the force-out attempt. The Nats won, 7-6, in 11 innings. But of greater concern afterward is the fate of Tatis.
Tatis, 20, is rated by MLB.com as the No. 2 prospect in baseball behind only Vladimir Guerrero Jr., began the season on the Padres roster and has played well, He's hit six home runs and is batting .300 with a .910 OPS in 100 at-bats. If he misses any time, the Padres would likely slide third baseman Manny Machado, a former shortstop, over to fill in.