Juan wished good luck to the opposing pitchers. There is a time and a place.
After taking part in his third live batting practice from Dodger Stadium early Friday afternoon, he flew to San Antonio to join the Padres' Double-A team.
He is going to be the designated hitter for the San Antonio Missions.
After spending the entire season recovering from surgery to his left wrist, Tatis is now focused on getting his timing back and his legs under him. Padres manager Bob Melvin said "everything looks good" after a final Scan of the scaphoid bone that caused a break early in the season.
He could be a week or two away from coming back.
"I don't think we have a set amount of at-bats for him," said the manager. You want to get a guy back here when he's swinging the bat well too. This isn't going to be a three-week process to get him back here, so we'll just take it one day at a time.
The Padres dominated the headlines earlier this week, acquiring several players before the trade deadline. The most devastating trio of hitters in the majors will be formed by Tatis at the top of the order, but he will also move around.
When he returns to the major league team, he will play both center field and designated hitter during his rehabilitation assignment, as well as in his natural position of shortstop. The flexibility of continuing to give Ha-seong Kim starts at the infield but also doesn't want to put too much of a burden on the other infielder.
"This is one where he's been out long enough to where we really don't wanna get ahead of ourselves and make sure we go about it in the right way and that he's healthy, make sure we don't give him too much."
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