PEORIA, Ariz. — Tuesday afternoon’s game was about what MacKenzie Gore was doing to Reds hitters.
And then it wasn’t.
Fernando Tatis Jr. reached to backhand a grounder in the hole, stood and made the long throw across the diamond for the out.
He immediately began a slow walk toward the Padres dugout, as near total silence settled in at Peoria Stadium.
The initial concern from Padres officials watching the game was said to be Tatis’ left shoulder. He was being examined at the time of this writing.
Tatis was met in the middle of the grass by manager Jayce Tingler and an athletic trainer. The 22-year-old never broke stride as he headed into the dugout and down into the clubhouse with his hand on his right hip.
At the end of the half-inning, he gathered his belongings, left the dugout and began the walk toward the Padres’ complex. His gait appeared normal as he made his way along the right-field line.
Tatis, who signed a 14-year, $340 million contract last month, has a .301 batting average and .956 OPS through 143 career games.
Tatis’s final play was the seventh out Gore had recorded in facing eight batters. Five of the outs had come on ground balls.
After getting his second strikeout, Gore allowed a single before Nick Castellanos followed with a home run. Gore set down the next batter on a fly ball.
He left after a two-out bloop single in the fourth inning, having thrown 50 pitches.
The goal with the organization’s top prospect was to be around the plate more, and he was. Only in his second-inning walk to Nick Senzel did he egregiously miss the zone.
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Staff writer Jeff Sanders contributed to this report.
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