Former Padres manager Jayce Tingler once emphasized unbridled joy Fernando Tatis Jr. brought every time he stepped on field

Although Fernando Tatis Jr. has become one of the most polarizing superstars in the MLB today, there was a time when he was the most exciting player to watch for fans and players alike.

During the 2020 regular season, which was plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic, former San Diego Padres manager Jayce Tingler described Tatis Jr. as the most joyous player on the field.

In a late 2020 interview with Sports Illustrated, Tingler spoke of the swagger and joy with which Tatis Jr. plays every game. The former Padres manager described Fernando Tatis Jr.'s personality, saying, “He just has the spirit of a 10- or 12-year-old."

"There's truly nothing that I and we feel that he can't do." - @Padres Manager Jayce Tingler on superstar shortstop @tatis_jr #MLBTonight | Powered by @citrix" - @MLBNetwork

Tatis Jr.'s rookie season with the Padres was one of the most exciting in recent memory. Through only 84 games as a rookie, Fernando Tatis Jr. produced a .317 batting average with 22 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases.

Since Jayce Tingler's interview, things have dramatically changed for both him and Fernando Tatis Jr.

Since Tingler's 2020 interview, the careers and reputations of the coach and Tatis Jr. have taken a turn.

Tingler was fired by the Padres after the 2021 season, which saw the team finish with a 79-83 record. One month after his firing, he became the bench coach of the Minnesota Twins.

As for Tatis Jr., the Dominican superstar saw his reputation change from one of the most exciting and beloved young talents to one of the most criticized. A series of on and off-field events pointed to a lack of maturity, with an off-season motorcycle accident adding to the growing frustration surrounding how seriously he took his baseball career.

"Fernando Tatis Jr. seemed very bothered by the fans in the bleachers taunting him about his steroid suspension." - @Jared_Carrabis

The immaturity and lack of professionalism were all overshadowed when Tatis Jr. broke one of baseball's most important rules. The San Diego Padres star was suspended for 80 games in 2021 after testing positive for the anabolic steroid clostebol. Although he claimed it was from a medication used to treat ringworm, many did not believe his excuse.