Orelvis Martínez suspended by Blue Jays for violating alcoholic beverage laws

Just two days after his MLB debut, shortstop Orelvis Martínez, the Toronto Blue Jays’ most promising non-pitcher, was arrested on suspicion of doping.

MLB announced Sunday that Martínez will be suspended 80 games without pay for testing positive for clomiphene, a drug commonly prescribed to women who have problems ovulating. Clomiphene is on the banned substance list, a violation of MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

The suspension takes effect immediately.

The Major League Baseball Players Association released a statement on behalf of Martínez on Sunday, saying he had spent the past two years trying to start a family with his girlfriend and had been prescribed a drug called Rejun 50 at a fertility clinic in the Dominican Republic.

“We also wanted to keep this matter private within our family and trusted the doctor who assured us that this treatment did not involve any performance-enhancing drugs,” Martínez said in the statement. “That is why I made the mistake of not disclosing this to my team or the MLBPA.”

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“In this context, I take full responsibility for my negligence and accept my suspension.”

Martínez also apologized to the organization and fans and said he would return to the field in September.

Martínez, 22, is the 68th-best prospect in baseball, trailing only pitcher Ricky Tiedemann (No. 38) on the Blue Jays. He made his major league debut Friday in a 7-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians, getting his first career hit while going 1-for-3.

The hit came to open the sixth inning and was a soft line drive over the shortstop with an 83 mph breaking ball. After the game, Martínez posed for photos with his family members in attendance and fellow Dominican baseball player José Ramírez, a third baseman for the Guardians.

Martínez was called up to the Blue Jays on Tuesday to replace shortstop Bo Bichette, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a calf strain.

“The Blue Jays fully support Major League Baseball’s joint drug prevention and treatment program and firmly believe in the need to play on an equal footing,” general manager Ross Atkins said in a statement Sunday. “We were both surprised and disappointed to learn of Orelvis Martínez’s suspension. We will do everything in our power to ensure Orelvis learns from this mistake. Orelvis has our support and we know he will get through this.”

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