San Diego Padres fans salivating as Fernando Tatis Jr. begins minor-league rehab stint: "The legend is coming" "Soon to be World Series MVP"

San Diego Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. took one step closer to returning to the major leagues Tuesday by beginning a minor-league rehab assignment.

Tatis, who remains under suspension until April 20 after failing a performance-enhancing drug test last April, reported to the Padres' Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas and batted leadoff against the host Sacramento River Cats.

As the team plans to move Tatis to right field upon his return to major-league play, he played the position Tuesday. At the plate, he went 1-for-2 with two walks, one run scored and one RBI before being replaced in the latter innings.

Fernando Tatis Jr.'s name is still a little more than two weeks away from being announced in the San Diego Padres starting lineup, but news that he was on the field for the team's top minor-league team had fans of both player and team salivating. Many people were ecstatic, perhaps a little too ecstatic.

Tuesday's game was the first time that Tatis has played at the Triple-A level. In his MLB-debut season in 2019, he was called to the big leagues directly from Double-A San Antonio.

Many possibly non-Padres fans are endorsing the idea of leaving Tatis in the minor leagues all season long.

Of course, some baseball fans will never forget that Fernando Tatis Jr. was indeed busted by MLB for using performance-enhancing substances.

Some San Diego Padres fans just got a little bit odd with their impressions of Tatis' first official game back.

Fernando Tatis Jr. expected to re-join San Diego Padres on April 20

Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres high fives teammates during a Spring Training game

Fernando Tatis Jr. was well on his way to becoming one of the main poster kids of MLB after a stellar first three major league seasons. He was third in the 2019 National League Rookie of the Year balloting, placed fourth in the 2020 NL Most Valuable Player vote, and was third in the 2021 MVP chase.

Over three seasons, he logged a .292 batting average with a .965 WHIP. He led the NL with 42 home runs in 2021 and made his first All-Star Game appearance.

However, an offseason motorcycle accident kept him off the field for much of the 2022 season. Then, just before he was about to return in August, MLB handed down the PED suspension and ended his year.

Still just 24 years old, Tatis has plenty of time to make up for the lost season as the on-field leader of a star-studded Padres lineup in 2023. His likely season debut is set for April 20 when San Diego opens a four-game series at the Arizona Diamondbacks.