San Diego Padres fans salivating as Fernando Tatis Jr. has a three-homer night in Triple-A: "Putting the league on notice" "Can’t come soon enough"

As he nears his return to the San Diego Padres, Fernando Tatis Jr. had a monster game Thursday night on his minor league rehab assignment.

Tatis, who remains under suspension for one more week after failing a performance-enhancing drug test last April, went 5-for-6 with three home runs and eight RBI for the Padres' Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas.

Tatis, who has been moved from shortstop to right field, is expected to make his Padres debut on April 20, when San Diego hosts the current National League West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks. It will be his first appearance in the big club's regular-season lineup since 2021.

Fernando Tatis Jr.'s name is still seven days away from being announced in the San Diego Padres starting lineup, but news of his big night for the team's top minor-league team has fans riveted with anxious excitement. Many are counting down the days to his return.

Tatis' rehab assignment at El Paso is the first time he 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.

Of course, some baseball fans will never forget that Fernando Tatis Jr. was indeed busted by MLB for using performance-enhancing substances. Many chimed in to suggest that his massive offensive night in El Paso was perhaps "assisted" by substances that are a no-no to the league.

It does remain to be seen if a "clean" Tatis will play as well as he did before his suspension. Time will tell.

Fernando Tatis Jr. heating up as he nears his call-up

Fernando Tatis Jr. warms up before 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 finished third in the 2019 National League Rookie of the Year balloting, fourth in the 2020 NL MVP vote, and third in the 2021 MVP race.

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 early.