Padres vs. Diamondbacks Thursday MLB odds, props: Fernando Tatis Jr. to make season debut, priced +205 to homer in return from 80-game suspension

The biggest story in MLB for Thursday's seven-game schedule is the return of San Diego All-Star slugger Fernando Tatis Jr., who will play his first big-league game since Oct. 3, 2021. Tatis initially was dealing with an injury, but was then issued a performance-enhancing drug suspension. His return will put him into a lineup that could be the most dangerous in baseball, alongside Juan Soto, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts. Tatis Jr. is a +205 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook to go yard Thursday against the Diamondbacks and expected to lead off for manger Bob Melvin.

Tatis Jr. has not played an MLB game that counted (he was allowed to play this spring) since the final day of the 2021 season. He missed the start of 2022 due to a wrist injury suffered in an offseason motorcycle accident (which he wasn't supposed to be riding per his contract). On the verge of finally making his Padres return last August and after playing four rehab games, he was hit with an 80-game PED suspension on Aug. 12. After the suspension was announced, Tatis decided to have his troublesome shoulder repaired surgically and the wrist further stabilized. He's spent the last few days working out with the team, but he wasn't allowed on the premises for games due to his suspension.

In his last full season, Tatis Jr. hit .282 with 42 homers (NL lead), 97 RBI and an OPS of .975 in 130 games two years ago to finish third in the NL MVP Voting. In eight games at Triple-A El Paso getting ready this year, Tatis hit .515 with seven home runs (including three in one game), 15 RBI and an absurd 1.802 OPS. After he homered in the second game, the pitcher who served up the blast called him a "cheater." Tatis Jr. likely will not be warmly received in opposing stadiums.

Arizona on Thursday starts right-hander Ryne Nelson (1-0, 3.71 ERA). He has never faced Tatis in a regular-season game, and Tatis is a .405/.456/.918 hitter in 13 career games at Chase Field with six homers. Tatis Jr. probably would have been the NL MVP betting favorite to start the season if available and is currently a +1000 fourth favorite at DraftKings. To lead the majors in homers --  already eight back of the leaders -- he's +4000.

Tatis Jr. will return not as the team's starting shortstop – that's Bogaerts – but as an outfielder, which in theory should help prevent further injuries to his shoulder and wrist. Shortstops can take big hits when runners are trying to break up double plays, for example. There have been a number of significant shortstop injuries already this year (Oneil Cruz, Tim Anderson and Corey Seager, to name three).

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