Dodgers fans are sure to find humor in Fernando Tatis Jr.'s rocky return to infield

The Los Angeles Dodgers rivalry with the San Francisco Giants is one of the best in baseball, but lately, the San Diego Padres have been LA's biggest rival. So when the Padres make an egregious error, it's hard for Dodgers fans not to point and laugh. Set your faces for smiles, Dodgers fans, because Fernando Tatis Jr.'s blunder on Friday night will give you something to chuckle about.

As you can see in the video, Tatis is having a tough time adjusting to life on the infield dirt. What should've been an easy 5-4-3 double play — though a run would've scored in the process — turned into a fielder's choice followed by an error.

The miscue, courtesy of Tatis, kept the inning alive for the Chicago White Sox. A sacrifice fly to the outfield — that would've been the final out of the inning if Tatis would've completed the routine double play — gave the White Sox a 3-0 lead over the Padres. Then rookie slugger Munetaka Murakami broke the game wide open with a three-run homer, giving the South Siders a 6-0 lead.

Dodgers fans can't get enough of Fernando Tatis Jr.'s struggles (and Padres' poor roster construction)

Dodgers fans are used to see Tatis set up in right field, but new Padres manager Craig Stammen decided to add second base to his repertoire this season. Why? Well, it's partially due to the Friars' poor roster construction.

San Diego lost Luis Arraez this past winter, but added Ty France and Miguel Andújar to man the cold corner. The Padres' depth at second base is rather thin behind Jake Cronenworth. When Xander Bogaerts needs a day off at shortstop, San Diego has been sliding Cronenworth over to the six-hole and moving Tatis from the outfield grass to the infield dirt.

Much like Dodgers' shortstop Mookie Betts, Tatis came up on the infield. He spent his first three seasons manning shortstop for the Padres, but his time there ended in 2021 after recording -6 defensive runs saved (DRS) and registering 13 errors. The Padres moved Tatis permanently to right field in 2023 and he's since won two Platinum Gloves.

All of this begs the question: Why are the Padres even entertaining this foolish idea? That's up to Stammen to answer. But if San Diego's brass wants to make Tatis into a laughing stock, far be it from the Dodgers fanbase to talk some sense into them.

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