Following the news of San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.’s failed performance-enhancing drug test, leading to his 80-game suspension, one former Red Sox pitcher is speaking out in defense of the 23-year-old.
Pedro Martinez, a National Baseball Hall of Famer, spoke out in defense of Tatis Jr. while also placing a portion of the blame on the Padres, during a discussion on TBS’ “Leadoff.” You can watch Martinez’s full take here.
“Since he got hurt, San Diego has been on top of him,” Martinez said. “And this is where I have to give him a pass because San Diego should have known what this kid is putting on his body. … Whether it was ringworm, or whether it was the flu… He’s too valuable to the organization. The Padres need to know exactly what he puts on 24/7.”
Martinez, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, expressed his questionable defense with the remaining members of the panel confused by the stance.
Tatis Jr., who signed a massive 12-year contract worth $340 million back in 2021, suffered a broken wrist injury during the offseason, leading to the star shortstop not playing a game this season — his return will only see further delay now due to the suspension.
On Sunday, former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon also expressed his feelings on the matter. However, the 2007 World Series champ wasn’t as empathetic on Tatis Jr.’s behalf as Martinez was.
