Fernando Tatis Jr. on Tuesday met with the media to finally publicly apologize for his failed performance-enhancing drugs test. In the process, the San Diego Padres shortstop offered yet another excuse for his positive test.
Recall, first Tatis’ mother said her son used a medication to treat ringworm. Then Tatis’ father said his son got a bad haircut that gave him a fungus.
In his apology, Tatis Jr. said he got a medication to treat a skin infection. He obtained the medication from the Dominican Republic and began taking it in June. He tested positive for Clostebol in July.

He said he began taking the treatment Trofobol in June. It came from back home in the Dominican.
“It was a stupid mistake, it was me being reckless…I’m regretting all of that.”
— Darnay Tripp (@DarnayTripp) August 23, 2022
Fernando Tatis, Jr. discusses the medication he took for skin infections that led to his positive test. pic.twitter.com/Og5tmk5YU7
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) August 23, 2022
Tatis Jr.’s explanation makes little sense.
He tested positive for Clostebol, which is an anabolic steroid. Though they sound similar, that is much different from Clobetasol, which is a topical steroid that would not be treated for ringworm.
Okay, dermatologist speaking here:
1) We do not use Clostebol. We frequently prescribe *Clobetasol*, a potent topical steroid.
2) Clobetasol, which calms down the immune system, makes ringworm much *worse*, and is the absolute last thing we'd use for it. https://t.co/j25mWPByyG
— Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) August 13, 2022
The guy tested positive for an anabolic steroid. Blaming a medication used to treat a skin infection makes a fool of everyone involved.
Did he think people would buy his story just because the two substances sound similar in name and have similar spelling? He continues to dig himself holes.
At least there is one good thing to come of this: Tatis will undergo shoulder surgery finally to address an issue that has long plagued him.