For the first time in years, Fernando Tatis Jr. is healthy. Despite missing a few days with the flu, Tatis hasn’t felt this good since he was coming into the 2021 season.If Tatis performs like his body is telling him it will, he will finally get a chance to quiet all the critics who haven’t let up on him since he was suspended for performance-enhancing drugs, which means he could become the best player in baseball.More news: Padres’ Manny Machado Gets Honest About Losing to Dodgers in NLDS“All the respect to all the big-league talent that is out there,” Tatis said. “I definitely acknowledge them. But when I’m 100% and my head is in the right spot, I feel like I’m second to no one in the baseball field. But definitely knowing what the work takes to be there. And especially the competition that is out there. And definitely embracing (it), because players are so good right now in this time of the baseball era, it only makes you want to be better and get better. So I’m definitely in that role and looking forward to being the best version of myself out there.”Tatis spent the offseason on his farm working to clear his mind and rest his body. He played a good portion of last season on a broken leg.Fernando Tatis Jr. hits a homer against Nick Pivetta. pic.twitter.com/Ccl8qUsOXP— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) February 26, 2025“I brought myself to places where my mind — I just feel like I was feeling myself, first my mind and then my body,” he said. “So that was just my entire goal of the offseason. Enjoy the healing waters of the Dominican Republic. … Definitely enjoying my farm and being out there outdoors, being barefoot, walking around.”Tatis has experienced some type of abbreviation in each season since his rookie campaign in 2019. Whether it was a pandemic, injury or suspension, he is determined to turn the page and not let anything significant happened to shorten the 2025 season.More news: Padres Superstar Says Getting Hurt Last Year Was ‘Best Thing’ That Could Have Happened“I haven’t felt this good since the offseason of 2020 coming into 2021,” Tatis said. “It feels great. My body is in a great spot, my swing is in an amazing spot. And definitely looking forward to what this year is going to be.”For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.