Orelvis Martinez was suspended for 80 games for violating MLB’s doping policy

Toronto Blue Jays rookie Orelvis Martinez, who made his major league debut on Friday, has been suspended for 80 games for violating MLB’s doping policy, the league announced on Sunday. Martinez tested positive for clomiphene, a performance-enhancing substance. The suspension takes effect immediately.

“The Blue Jays fully support Major League Baseball’s joint drug prevention and treatment program and firmly believe that the game should be played on a level playing field,” Blue Jays EVP and general manager Ross Atkins said in a statement. “We were both surprised and disappointed to learn of Orelvis Martinez’s suspension. We will do everything in our power to ensure Orelvis learns from this mistake.”

Martinez said he and his girlfriend visited a fertility clinic in the Dominican Republic during the offseason, where he was prescribed a drug called Rejun 50, which contains the banned substance clomiphene. Martinez said it was a “mistake” not to disclose this to the Blue Jays or the MLBPA.

“I have taken full responsibility for my actions and accepted my suspension,” Martinez said in a statement. “I want to apologize to my teammates in Buffalo and Toronto, the Blue Jays organization and most importantly, the fans who have supported me throughout my career.”

The Blue Jays became aware of Martinez’s situation on Saturday after he addressed Atkins and Blue Jays manager John Schneider, according to the GM. During his suspension, Martinez will be at a team training facility where he will “continue to focus on how to improve as a player and teammate,” Atkins said.

“I wholeheartedly believe in education and feel like there’s a lot of it out there, so making sure Orelvis has all of that downloaded is just a small part of the equation,” the GM said Sunday. “I think that actual experience is the real learning for him. I think it’s continuing to focus on ways he can continue to improve as a person, as a player and as a teammate, and there are a lot of opportunities to do that through our resources and training.”

Due to his suspension, Martinez was placed on the restricted list and the Blue Jays recalled OF Steward Berroa from Triple-A Buffalo.

Martinez is the Blue Jays’ most promising prospect and one of the best young hitters in their system. He was called up when Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette was placed on the injured list with a right calf injury. His suspension is the latest development in what continues to be a disastrous season for the Blue Jays.

Toronto entered the season expecting to be a playoff contender in the highly competitive American League East. Instead, the Blue Jays are in last place in the division at 35-41 and six games out of a wild card spot.

The club has underperformed in several areas, but most notably on offense. The Blue Jays rank near the bottom of the MLB in several offensive categories, including 27th in runs scored and 29th in team home runs.

Recently, the Blue Jays have begun bringing in some of their young talent from the minor leagues to spice up their lineup, including Martinez.

The 22-year-old infielder was the best young hitter in the team’s farm system, with an OPS of .867 and 16 home runs in 63 games with the Buffalo Bisons. Given the Blue Jays’ struggles hitting the ball out of the park this season, Martinez’s potential to hit powerfully was viewed as something that could benefit the Blue Jays. Even though Martinez’s first major league stint would likely be short-lived and over when Bichette returned from the IL, there was reason to believe he could rejoin the club later in the season, especially if the club decided to trade some veterans at the deadline – a reality that seems increasingly likely as the team falls out of the playoff race.

Now Martinez will be suspended for 80 games, almost until the end of the 2024 season, adding to the list of things that have made this season a deeply disappointing one for the Blue Jays.

(Photo: Frank Jansky /Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)