San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. Unlikely to Play in All-Star Game, Per Manager

San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is unlikely to play in the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, manager Mike Shildt told reporters on Friday.

Tatis has been on the 10-day injured list with a stress reaction in his right thigh bone since June 22. That ailment could keep Tatis out through the All-Star break, according to Shildt, at which point he would be unavailable for the Midsummer Classic.

The Padres had two outfielders voted into the National League's starting lineup this week – Tatis and Jurickson Profar. While each player is having an impressive season, they took very different paths to stardom.

Tatis was one of the most hyped prospects in baseball when he made his MLB debut in 2019, ultimately finishing third in NL Rookie of the Year voting that season. He then placed fourth and third in NL MVP voting in 2020 and 2021, respectively, and made the All-Star Game in 2021 before missing all of 2022 due to injury and a PED suspension.

Although he did not make the All-Star Game in 2023, Tatis still won a Gold Glove and placed 14th in NL MVP voting. This year, he has continued to reassert himself as a superstar, batting .279 with 14 home runs, 36 RBI, eight stolen bases, an .821 OPS and a 2.0 WAR through 80 games.

Profar, meanwhile, is making the first All-Star appearance of his 11-season MLB career. Although he was once a highly-touted prospect in his own right with the Texas Rangers, he turned out to be a bit of a journeyman before breaking out this season.

Now, thanks to Tatis' injury, Profar will be the Padres' lone representative in the National League's starting outfield.

Tatis' replacement could be announced as soon as Sunday, when the full All-Star rosters are released. The Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández and the Philadelphia Phillies' Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos were the other finalists who got beat out by Tatis, Profar and the Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich.

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