Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Orelvis Martinez was suspended 80 video games Sunday for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug coverage, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Martinez examined optimistic for Clomiphene, a drug that’s generally utilized in fertility medication, per the Mayo Clinic. In a press release, the 22-year-old revealed he and his girlfriend have been making an attempt to start out a household, and her prescription contained the banned substance.
“We needed to maintain this matter personal, even inside our household, and trusted the physician who assured us this remedy didn’t embody performance-enhancing medication,” Martinez wrote. “Due to this fact, I made the error of not disclosing this to my staff or the MLBPA. With that mentioned, I took full duty for my actions and accepted my suspension.”
Martinez’s suspension is expensive for the Blue Jays (35-41). He was referred to as up this week after star shortstop Bo Bichette was positioned on the 10-day injured checklist with a calf damage. In his main league debut in opposition to the Cleveland Guardians on Friday, the infielder flashed promise, going 1-for-3.
Earlier than the beginning of the season, CBS Sports activities’ R.J. Anderson rated him because the third-best prospect in Toronto’s farm system. In 63 video games with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, he hit 16 residence runs and posted an .866 OPS.
“We had been each stunned and dissatisfied to study of Orelvis Martinez’s suspension,” Blue Jays common supervisor Ross Atkins mentioned, through MLB.com. “We’ll do every little thing in our energy to make sure Orelvis has realized from this error. Orelvis has our assist, and we all know he’ll get by this.”
With Martinez out of the lineup, Anderson recommended the Blue Jays will possible depend on Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Spencer Horwitz. They might additionally transfer third baseman Ernie Clement to second.
