AL East team calls up top prospect, but then loses him due to a performance-enhancing drug ban

One of the biggest problems in baseball over the years has been the use of PEDs (performance enhancing drugs). Major League Baseball has been very tough on users using these drugs over the years and we have seen a little less abuse. But occasionally a player gets caught using a substance and it continues to hurt the game.

On Sunday, Toronto Blue Jays top prospect Orelvis Martinez was suspended for 8 games for violating MLB’s doping policy. Martinez, 22, had just made his major league debut for Toronto on Friday, so this certainly comes as a shock to everyone. He tested positive for clomiphene, a fertility drug that is on the league’s banned substances list.

Martinez released a statement following the announcement, taking full responsibility for the suspension. He said he and his wife had been trying to start a family and had visited a fertility clinic in the Dominican Republic.

“We wanted to keep this matter private, even within our family, and trusted the doctor who assured us that this treatment did not involve performance-enhancing drugs. Therefore, I made the mistake of not disclosing this to my team or the MLBPA. With that in mind, I took full responsibility for my negligence and accepted my suspension.”

Following the news, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins released a statement expressing his dismay at the announcement.

“We were both surprised and disappointed to learn of Orelvis Martinez’s suspension,” Ross Atkins, executive vice president and general manager of the Blue Jays, said in a statement. “We will do everything in our power to ensure Orelvis learns from his mistake.”

Atkins reiterated that Martinez has the Blue Jays’ support. He will not be able to return to the Blue Jays until September, and that is a huge blow to a team that has fought tooth and nail all year. Toronto has a 35-41 record this season, putting it in last place in the American League East. Martinez was called up after shortstop Bo Bichette was placed on the injured list.

In his major league debut, Martinez went 1-for-3 and struck out once. His arrival in the major leagues was seen as a glimmer of hope for Toronto, but that was taken away as quickly as it came. This will be a great lesson for Martinez and all players who need to be more cautious about using substances in the future.