Fernando Tatis Jr. will be sidelined for the immediate future, but it appears the San Diego Padres star avoided disaster after he exited Monday night's loss to the Giants.
Tatis went down in significant pain after a big swing in the third inning, and was placed on the 10-day injured list by the Padres on Tuesday.
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San Diego manager A.J. Preller said Tatis will not require surgery, which likely would have had a significant impact on the race in the NL West.
Tatis' exams revealed a partial dislocation of his shoulder and a partial tear of his labrum. There was no timeline given by the team for his return.
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The NL West widely was expected to be a two-team race this season with the Padres and reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Tatis is by far the heart and soul of San Diego's lineup, and losing him for the season would have opened the door for teams like the Giants to try and sneak into the MLB Playoffs.
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It is unclear whether Tatis will be back after the 10-day stint on the injured list, or whether that shoulder could flare up again this season when and if he returns.
Ideally for the Padres, Tatis might be able to return to the field before their next series against the Giants, which begins on Apr. 30 in San Diego.