Star right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is back with the Padres as they battle for a playoff spot

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Star forward Fernando Tatis Jr. was removed from the 60-day injured list by the San Diego Padres on Monday after being sidelined more than two months with a stress reaction in his right thigh.

He went 0-for-4, but brought on two runners in the eighth inning, scoring two runs in a 3-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Tatis last played on June 21. He was placed on the injured list on June 24, retroactive to June 22.

He received applause when the lineups were announced and when he ran to his defensive position at the start of the match, gesturing and clapping to the fans.

“It’s a beautiful feeling, man,” he said. “I wish I could put it into words, but I got goosebumps and my energy was through the roof. And that was the push that I definitely needed and it was just beautiful, all the way around.”

He trained last week at the team’s training complex in Arizona.

Tatis received a warm welcome in the locker room, including a hearty hug from center fielder Jackson Merrill, considered by some to be the leading contender for NL Rookie of the Year.

“I’m in really good shape right now,” Tatis said before the game. “It’s not 100 percent, but I’m cleared by the doctors and I feel really good moving forward. I feel really confident and I feel like I can do anything on the baseball field.”

On the day he was placed on the IL, Tatis said he had been dealing with the injury all season. It was initially described as a quadriceps injury, but the team discovered the stress response after imaging.

The Padres passed Arizona to capture the first wild card spot in the NL.

“I’m really excited to just come in,” Tatis said. “Just adding to what this group has done. I said the day I went down that this is a special group and I know they’re going to play good baseball, and the guys have gone about it the right way.”

Last year, Tatis won the NL Gold Glove and Platinum Glove awards in his first season as a right fielder.

He was an All-Star at shortstop in 2021, but missed the 2022 season due to injury and a suspension for PED use.

When Tatis went on the IL, he had a batting average of .279 with 14 home runs and 36 RBIs.

Merrill said he is “ecstatic” that Tatis is back.

“Energy is contagious. It’s going to rub off on everybody, especially his energy, his bravado. It’s huge,” Merrill said.

“It’s fun to write him in there. He obviously brings a lot to the table,” manager Mike Shildt said.

Outfielder Bryce Johnson was sent to Triple-A El Paso.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Bernie Wilson, The Associated Press