San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. will likely miss the rest of his impressive rookie campaign due to a back injury.
San Diego manager Andy Green told reporters that Tatis is “most likely done for the season.”
Green made the comment shortly after Tatis was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday. The club said Tatis has a stress reaction in his lower back.
Tatis, a National League Rookie of the Year candidate, suffered the injury during Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The 20-year-old Tatis is batting .317 with 22 homers, 53 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 84 games. He also has been a strong defender while quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting performers in the majors.
Green said Tatis could be re-evaluated in three weeks, but the club plans on being conservative with the injury.
New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso and Tatis were the leading rookie candidates for the NL award.
San Diego also placed veteran infielder Ian Kinsler (herniated cervical disk) on the injured list and recalled third baseman Ty France and outfielder Travis Jankowski from Triple-A El Paso.
Third baseman Manny Machado and second baseman Luis Urias are both expected to see time at shortstop during Tatis’ absence. Tatis missed 34 games earlier this season with a hamstring injury.
Kinsler, 37, is batting .217 with nine homers and 22 RBIs in 87 games in his first season with the Padres. He is done for the season and might require surgery, Green said.
France, 25, batted .235 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 34 games with San Diego earlier this season. He is tearing up the Triple-A level, batting .399 with 27 homers and 89 RBIs in just 76 games at El Paso.
The 28-year-old Jankowski is batting .299 with no homers, 10 RBIs and six steals in 33 games at El Paso. He missed the first three months of the season with a fractured wrist and has a .242 career average with eight homers and 42 RBIs in 309 games with the Padres since first reaching the majors in 2015.
