MIAMI — A week ago,
Fernando Tatis Jr. stood by the dugout that, hours earlier, provided sudden shelter for fans and family members of Padres players. The shortstop explained his perspective from the previous night, when a shooting outside Nationals Park set off panic and confusion within. Amid the chaos, Tatis, third baseman
Manny Machado and other teammates had ushered dozens toward an apparent haven.
“The situation changed immediately; there were no longer players or fans,” Tatis told reporters last Sunday. “I feel like everybody is just people. Just human beings.”
At the time, the most unusual road trip of this Padres season was not yet three days old. San Diego had erupted in the opening game for 24 runs, a franchise-record output that included second baseman Jake Cronenworth hitting for the third cycle in club history. Minutes after the second game was suspended by the sound of gunfire, Tatis ran down the third-base line and back, carrying children into the visiting dugout. Video of his actions went viral.
Over the ensuing days, as the shock receded, as the separation between participants and onlookers returned, normalcy lagged behind. In Atlanta, rain washed out one game and suspended another. In Miami, there was a refuge from the elements but little relief.
And, on Sunday, the situation changed again, dramatically so. As Padres players flew back to San Diego after a series split with the last-place Marlins, general manager A.J.
