Ten minutes before Thursday’s game at Petco Park, the crowd cheered. Public-address announcer Alex Miniak was reading off the Nationals’ starting lineup. Luke Voit’s name had just been called.

Sixteen minutes into the game, the crowd cheered again, louder and longer this time. Voit was about to take his first at-bat in the building since being traded. Some fans rose to their feet and applauded as Voit stood just outside the right-handed batter’s box, doffing his helmet. Some yelled “Luuuuuke!”

This was how Voit, a Padres designated hitter for 4 1/2 months, was received in his return to San Diego. His brief time with the home team saw him hit 13 home runs and strike out more than 100 times. It also showed how a semi-productive player and popular personality can endear himself to a city.

Of course, Voit never had to face what franchise shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. is facing now.

Six days after he began serving an 80-game suspension, Tatis remained away from the Padres and away from Petco Park. Instead, he met in person with president of baseball operations A.J. Preller at an undisclosed location, sources said. The process of mending key relationships had begun.

That process will continue over the next few days. Tatis is scheduled to meet this weekend with Padres owner Peter Seidler. He is expected to address his teammates at some point, possibly before the end of the week.

“That’s still kind of up for debate, if and when that’s going to happen,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said before Thursday night’s 3-1 loss to Washington.

Tatis’ ban jolted the sport when it was announced Friday. The 23-year-old was less than two years into a 14-year, $340 million extension. He was nearing the end of a lengthy rehabilitation from a wrist injury that likely stemmed from an offseason motorcycle accident. He has repeatedly missed time in his young career, but when on the field, he is a wildly productive player and especially dynamic personality.