MLB teams
Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer 3y

Fernando Tatis Jr., Wil Myers test positive for COVID-19; 3 other San Diego Padres out because of contact tracing

MLB, San Diego Padres

San Diego Padres star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed on the injured list Tuesday, while teammate Wil Myers also tested positive, leading him to be removed from the team's 8-1 win against the Colorado Rockies in Denver. 

Utility players Jurickson Profar and Jorge Mateo and first baseman Eric Hosmer also will be sidelined because of contact tracing. Profar and Mateo were placed on the IL before Tuesday's game, while Hosmer left during the contest. 

The Padres now face a shortage of players going into Wednesday's scheduled doubleheader against the Rockies, although manager Jayce Tingler anticipated his team could play it as scheduled.

"Obviously, it's not ideal, but I want to give credit to our guys tonight," Tingler said. "We had a lot of hectic things going on. We had a short bench and everybody stepped up and filled in." 

Tingler found out about Tatis' positive test late Monday night and said he is asymptomatic. As part of the health and safety protocols, Tatis and Myers must isolate from the team for 10 days and test negative for COVID-19 before getting cleared to return by a team physician and the joint committee.

Tingler wouldn't reveal whether Tatis had already been vaccinated but said he "didn't break any rules."

"Mentally, he's crushed," Tingler said of Tatis, with whom he spoke via FaceTime earlier on Tuesday. "He wants to be here with the guys, he wants to play, he wants to be a part of it."

The Padres added outfielder John Andreoli, right-hander Nabil Crismatt and utility man Tucupita Marcano to fill their vacant roster spots.

Ha-Seong Kim will play shortstop in Tatis' absence, and Tommy Pham will get the vast majority of the playing time in left field while Profar and Mateo are out. Both started Tuesday night. 

Before returning, Profar, Mateo and Hosmer must quarantine for seven days, test negative on Day 5 or later and remain asymptomatic throughout.

The Padres have yet to reach the 85% threshold of vaccinations that would allow for looser restrictions around their team.

"We're a couple players away from getting there," Tingler said. "Will we get there? I don't know at the end of the day. I think we're optimistic. We're just a couple guys short. The one thing with the protocols and things like that -- it's a clear competitive advantage to get to that 85%. Our guys are educated -- we're educating them on it. That's where we are."

Tatis leads the Padres with nine home runs despite missing time this season with a shoulder injury and has flourished on the road, batting .385/.405/.897 in 42 plate appearances. After Wednesday's doubleheader, the Padres will have a day off before beginning a nine-game homestand on Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

"Look, it's a blow," Tingler said of losing Tatis. "But we have the guys."

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