Promising San Diego Padres news on when Yu Darvish and Fernando Tatis Jr. will return

The San Diego Padres have been one of the best teams in baseball this summer, surging up the standings and skyrocketing their playoff odds. With the postseason race tightening and the NL West still up for grabs, San Diego would certainly benefit from getting Yu Darvish and Fernando Tatis Jr. back

Tatis last appeared in the Padres lineup on June 21, when he suffered a stress reaction in his right thigh bone. The All-Star outfielder has already been sidelined for two months, creating a significant talent drain in the Padres lineup.

• Fernando Tatis Jr stats ( ESPN ): .279/.354/.468, .821 OPS, 14 home runs, 36 RBI in 308 at-bats

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While others have stepped up in his place, San Diego is still missing one of its most dangerous hitters. The injury also occurred at the worst possible time, as Tatis Jr. had a 1.062 OPS in June and played at an MVP-caliber level.

Fortunately, per USA Today ‘s Bob Nightengale, Tatis will begin a rehab assignment this week with the Padres’ minor-league affiliates. While he’ll need a bit of an extended stay following a two-month layoff, he will rejoin the Padres lineup in early September as long as he avoids a setback.

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Yu Darvish closing in on rejoining the San Diego Padres rotation

San Diego has dealt with a myriad of issues with its pitching staff this season. Joe Musgrove spent extensive time on the injured list, depriving the Padres of one of their best starters. To make things even worse, Yu Darvish hasn’t pitched since May 29.

• Yu Darvish stats ( ESPN ) : 4-3 record, 3.20 ERA, 1.07 WHIP in 56.1 innings pitched

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Darvish, age 38, was put on the restrictive list in early July with the club only announcing it as a personal matter. No details were provided on the absence and he hasn’t pitched for the club in months. Fortunately, he came off the restricted list on Friday.

“It was a difficult decision to leave, obviouslyThings can get complicated sometimes. But again, it’s really good to be back. … All in all, it’s a great day.”

San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish on rejoining the team (H/T ESPN )

For the time being, Darvish is still on the 15-day injured list with the original elbow inflammation that sidelined him in June. The positive Padres news is that he is already throwing bullpen sessions and could be sent out on a rehab assignment in early September. As long as his elbow doesn’t cause any further issues, Darvish could be back in the Padres rotation well before the playoffs.

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