CLEVELAND — An already calamitous Toronto Blue Jays season took its latest dour turn Sunday, as infielder Orelvis Martinez was suspended 80 games without pay by MLB for violating the league’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
Martinez tested positive for clomiphene, a performance-enhancing substance. The 22-year-old has accepted his suspension, which is effective immediately.
“We were both surprised and disappointed to learn of Orelvis Martinez’s suspension,” Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins said in a club statement. “We will do everything in our power to ensure Orelvis has learned from this mistake. Orelvis has our support, and we know he will get through this.”
Martinez, one of Toronto’s top prospects who earned his first major-league call-up last week, said through a statement released by the MLBPA that he ingested clomiphene via a fertility medication called Rejun 50 that he and his partner were prescribed in the Dominican Republic last off-season.
“We wanted to keep this matter private, even within our family, and trusted the doctor who assured us this treatment did not include performance enhancing drugs,” Martinez said in the statement. “Therefore, I made the mistake of not disclosing this to my team or the MLBPA.
“What that said, I took full responsibility for my actions and accepted my suspension.”
Major League Baseball has announced that Toronto Blue Jays prospect Orelvis Martinez has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. The 19-year-old infielder, who is considered one of the top prospects in the Blue Jays organization, will begin serving his suspension immediately.
Martinez, who signed with the Blue Jays as an international free agent in 2018, was playing for the team’s Low-A affiliate in Dunedin when he tested positive for the banned substance. The specific substance that Martinez tested positive for has not been disclosed by MLB.
This suspension is a significant setback for Martinez, who was off to a strong start to the season with a .275 batting average, 10 home runs, and 38 RBI in 60 games. The young prospect was seen as a key part of the Blue Jays’ future plans and was expected to continue his development in the minor leagues before potentially making his way to the major league roster.
The Blue Jays have released a statement expressing their disappointment in Martinez’s actions and emphasizing their commitment to a clean and fair playing field. The team has also stated that they will continue to support Martinez during his suspension and help him learn from this experience.
This suspension serves as a reminder of the strict anti-doping policies in place in professional sports, including Major League Baseball. Players are regularly tested for banned substances, and those who test positive face significant consequences, including suspensions and damage to their reputation.
It is unclear how this suspension will impact Martinez’s future with the Blue Jays organization. He will have to serve his 80-game suspension before being eligible to return to play, and it remains to be seen how this setback will affect his development as a player.
Overall, this suspension serves as a cautionary tale for young athletes about the importance of following the rules and avoiding the use of banned substances. It is a reminder that cheating has consequences and can have a lasting impact on a player’s career.