Video: Tatis Jr. Suffers Another Shoulder Injury

For the third time this year, San Diego Padres' superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. is on the shelf with a left shoulder injury. He did the damage in Saturday's game while diving for a ball in the hole in the 5th inning:

Fernando Tatis Jr. was a little slow to get up after a diving effort on this play. pic.twitter.com/5ejcM4leQr

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 20, 2021

He left the game and did not return. He's listed as day-to-day.

Tatis is the National League HR leader with 22, and a co-favorite at this point with Jacob deGrom for National League MVP.

Tatis missed 9 games in April with a "slight" labrum tear in the same shoulder. No surgery was required, and doctors at the time felt he couldn't make the injury worse by playing. 

He's been dealing with shoulder problems throughout his career, and this year's issues started back in spring training, when he left a game with what was called "shoulder discomfort".

The worry is that his all-out play can lead to more incidents like this one, and by continually re-injuring the shoulder, it could get to the point of surgery being inevitable. Sports injury specialist Dr. Brian Sutterer analyzed Tatis' shoulder injury from April that forced him out for 9 games:

Padres fans, meanwhile, are feeling 'slammed' by all this:

Gotta protect @tatis_jr from himself the shoulder needs to heal completely still sore

— GG Gotti (@GOTTiB13) June 20, 2021

It literally can't heal unless it's surgically repaired. They know the risk they are putting him through, which is absolutely ridiculous in my eyes

— Justin Knight (@JustinKnight03) June 20, 2021

Prayer's up for one of the brightest young faces of the game. 

Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports