Fernando Tatis Jr. pulls a Kyler Murray, wipes his Instagram clean

San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. could be looking for a fresh start after wrist surgery—or, he could be looking for a fresh start outside San Diego. 

San Diego endured enough pain when the Chargers bolted from the city, but losing Fernando Tatis Jr. could be more than anyone can bear.

Anyone who’s a fan of the Padres has professed their admiration for Tatis Jr., the 23-year-old shortstop who made his first All-Star team in 2021. In three short years, Tatis Jr. already has two Silver Slugger Awards, two All-MLB First-Team placements, and the title of the NL’s Home Run Leader in 2021.

That’s why seeing Tatis Jr. clear his Instagram feed à la Kyler Murray could be a cause for alarm if it signals tension between the Padres and Tatis Jr.

As of now, the only photo on Tatis Jr.’s Instagram page is a childhood photo that he posted in 2016.

Fernando Tatis Jr. cleans out his Instagram, signaling potential trouble with the Padres

Clearing one’s Instagram feed doesn’t necessarily signify drama or frustration for a celebrity athlete. For example, Abel Tesfaye, more commonly known as The Weeknd, clears out his entire Instagram feed frequently before he drops a new project. From an aesthetic point of view, clearing out photos could indicate a new chapter as it does for The Weeknd.

Perhaps Tatis Jr. wants a fresh start after his surgery, or perhaps he’s reflecting on how far he’s come since childhood. All fans can do is speculate, but because of what Kyler Murray did earlier in the NFL offseason, this could be a cause for concern.

Murray cleared his Instagram feed of any association with his team, the Arizona Cardinals, leaving only a photo of himself at the Pro Bowl this January. Shortly thereafter, Murray and his agent released a press release essentially stating that Murray wants to have the organization prove how much they value him by committing to him more financially.

It’s a common move for athletes to hold out or pressure organizations for improved contracts, and the Instagram refresh appears to be a new tactic athletes employ to send a very public message.

The silver lining here is that Tatis Jr.’s Twitter page is very much unaffected, featuring the star in his Padres uniform, his position on the team in his bio, and plenty of likes on Padres content.