Fernando Tatis Jr., the recently suspended All-Star shortstop, underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, the San Diego Padres said.
The surgery was performed in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttache, a physician for the Dodgers and Rams in that city. The operation was originally expected to take place the week before, but was postponed because Tatis contracted a strep infection.
Recovery after shoulder surgery is estimated to take four to six months. The Dominican baseball player’s preseason could be delayed but, if all goes well, he would be fully recovered by the time he finishes serving an 80-game suspension imposed on him after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
Tatis missed the first four months of this season with a broken left wrist, an injury reportedly sustained in a motorcycle accident during the offseason.
The player was approaching his return after that injury. But on Aug. 12, Major League Baseball suspended him after testing positive for the drug.
He will miss almost a third of the 2023 campaign.
Tatis suffered several dislocations in his left shoulder during the previous season. The Padres hoped he would opt for surgery to solve the problem during the offseason.
The player preferred not to undergo surgery. Then he broke his wrist, an injury he wasn’t diagnosed with until he showed up for spring training. He underwent that surgery in mid-March.