Here's a gift: Tatis is playing more baseball

Here's a gift: Tatis is playing more baseball

December 26th, 2020

's 2020 was full of dazzling on-field exploits. He might still have a few more up his sleeve before the calendar flips to '21.

The Padres' superstar shortstop is slated to join Estrellas Orientales of the Dominican Winter League on Sunday afternoon, Estrellas announced on Saturday.

Tatis is already a legend for Estrellas, his hometown club in San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic. Two seasons ago, he helped lead Estrellas to their first Dominican Winter League crown in 51 years. That run included an especially memorable bat flip during the postseason.

Months after Tatis’ hometown championship, he broke out as a 20-year-old rookie for the Padres in 2019, playing a captivating brand of baseball. He was even better in '20, too, hitting .277/.366/.571 with 17 homers and 11 steals. Tatis finished fourth in voting for the National League MVP Award and was named the First-Team All-MLB shortstop.

And evidently his season isn't over yet.

When the Padres’ campaign ended, Tatis expressed an openness to playing winter ball. He did not play during the 2019-20 season and noted his displeasure with Estrellas for parting ways with his father as manager. (Fernando Tatis Sr. had skippered Estrellas' championship the season before.)

Tatis' return to the Dominican Winter League comes at a critical juncture. Estrellas are entering a best-of-three “mini-playoff” series against Leones del Escogido, with the winner reaching the Dominican Winter League semifinals to face top-seeded Gigantes del Cibao.

Mets second baseman , who is set to serve a 162-game Major League Baseball ban for violating the league's performance enhancing drug policy, will also join Estrellas for their postseason run.