Blue Jays’ Orelvis Martinez will get 80-game ban for violating PED coverage

Toronto Blue Jays infielder Orelvis Martinez was suspended 80 video games Sunday for violating Main League Baseball’s performance-enhancing drug coverage, simply two days after his massive league debut.

Martinez, 22, is the Blue Jays’ high hitting prospect and was referred to as up final week after shortstop Bo Bichette was positioned on the injured checklist. Martinez examined optimistic for clomiphene, a fertility drug on the league’s banned substance checklist.

In a press release, Martinez stated he had spent the previous two years attempting to begin a household along with his girlfriend and was prescribed Rejun 50, a clomiphene pill, over the winter after visiting a fertility clinic in his native Dominican Republic.

“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 stated within the assertion. “Subsequently, I made the error of not disclosing this to my group or the MLBPA.

“With that stated, I took full duty for my negligence and accepted my suspension.”

Martinez signed with the Blue Jays for $3.5 million in 2018 and emerged as the most effective power-hitting prospects within the minor leagues. Earlier than his debut, through which he performed second base and went 1-for-3, Martinez had hit 16 house runs in 63 video games at Triple-A. Over the three earlier seasons, he hit 86 house runs and drove in 257 runs.

“We have been each stunned and dissatisfied to be taught of Orelvis Martinez’s suspension,” Blue Jays govt vice chairman and basic supervisor Ross Atkins stated in a press release. “We’ll do all the pieces in our energy to make sure Orelvis has realized from his mistake.

“Orelvis has our assist, and we all know he’ll get via this.”

Martinez went 1-for-3 with a strikeout towards the Cleveland Guardians in his debut Friday. He will probably be eligible to return to the group in September.

“Orelvis was upset, dissatisfied and fairly trustworthy for a younger child when he informed us,” Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider stated Sunday. “He is clearly humbled and is aware of he made a mistake. We’ll assist him via the method.”

Martínez will lose about half his wage. His contract requires $740,000 whereas within the main leagues and $120,600 whereas within the minors, each the minimal.

At 35-41, Toronto occupies final place within the American League East. The Blue Jays rank twenty seventh within the majors in runs scored (291) and will think about dealing away high gamers because the July 30 commerce deadline approaches.

He turned the eighth participant penalized for performance-enhancing medication this 12 months, the second below the most important league program. Noelvi Marte, a 22-year-old infielder who’s the Cincinnati Reds’ high prospect, was suspended for the primary 80 video games of the season below the most important league program following a optimistic check for Boldenone.

The Related Press contributed to this report.