San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. apologizes for 80-game suspension, will have shoulder surgery

San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., who has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for the anabolic steroid Clostebol, on Tuesday publicly apologized to his teammates and fans and said that he'd be undergoing shoulder surgery while he's away from the game.

«There is no one else to blame but myself. I made a mistake,» Tatis said. «I'm truly sorry. I have let so many people down. I have lost so much love from people. I have failed. I'm going to remember what this feels like, and I'm not going to put myself in this position ever again. I know I have a lot of love that I have to recover. I have a lot of work to do, it will be a very long process. I'm learning, I'm maturing.»

Tatis, 23, was in the final stages of his recovery from a wrist injury that he likely sustained during an offseason motorcycle accident.

Neither Tatis nor the Padres would specify what Tatis is having done to his shoulder, but he made multiple visits to the injured list in 2021 for a troublesome left shoulder and played just 130 games that season.

Tatis will be on the restricted list for the final 48 games of the Padres' regular season. Any postseason games the Padres play this season will count toward Tatis' 80-game total. The remainder of the suspension will be served at the beginning of the 2023 season.

He is in the second season of a 14-year, $340 million contract.

After emerging as a star in his rookie season at 20, Tatis finished fourth in the National League MVP voting in his sophomore campaign. Last year, he was even better, signing the record deal, finishing third in MVP voting and solidifying himself as one of the game's finest players.