San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. suspended 80 games after testing positive for PED
Tatis has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for the performance-enhancing substance clostebol, in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, the league announced Friday.
The suspension is without pay and effective immediately, meaning Tatis will miss the remainder of this season and the first 33 games of the 2023 season. Any games the Padres play in the 2022 postseason will count towards a suspension, reducing the number of games they sit out next year.
“I have been notified by Major League Baseball that a test sample I submitted has returned a positive result for Clostebol, a banned substance,” Tatis said in a statement. “It turns out that I had inadvertently taken a medication to treat shingles containing clostebolol. I should have used the resources available to me to make sure there were no banned substances in what I took No. I failed to do so.
San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. ‘devastated’ by 80-game suspension for PED violation
The suspension is in force with immediate effect.
Although Tatis said he was “absolutely devastated”, the 2021 All-Star said he had “no excuse” for his error and said he would not appeal his suspension.
“There is nowhere else in the world that I am competing with my teammates on the field,” he wrote. “After initially appealing the suspension, I realized that my mistake was the cause of this consequence, and for this reason I have decided to immediately begin serving my suspension. I will be reuniting with my teammates on the field in 2023. I look forward to joining.”
In the wake of Tatis’ suspension, the Padres issued a statement Friday night.
“We were shocked and extremely disappointed to learn today that Fernando Tatis Jr. tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Prevention and Treatment Program and subsequently received an 80-game suspension without pay. ,” the statement read. “We fully support this program and we hope that Fernando will learn from his experience.”
“I have taken countless drug tests during my professional career, including March 29, 2022, all of which have returned negative results up to this test. I am utterly devastated. There is nowhere else in the world that I do with my peers. I would rather be on the field than compete.
After initially appealing the suspension, I realized that the reason for this result was my fault, and that is why I have decided to immediately begin serving my suspension. I am in 2023 Looking forward to reconnecting with my teammates on the field.”
Tatis would go through the entire 2022 season without appearing in a major league game. (USA Today’s Bob Nightingale tweeted that he would also be barred from representing the Dominican Republic at next spring’s World Baseball Classic).
The star shortstop suffered a fracture in his left wrist in an off-season motorcycle accident, an injury that was revealed when he reported it to the team at Spring Training. He had surgery and was out of work for months.
There was light at the end of the tunnel, with Tatis sent to Double-A last week on rehab assignments. He had played in four minor league games and was set to rejoin the big league club within a few weeks. Now that won’t happen.
Tatis, 23, is one of Major League Baseball’s biggest stars, the centerpiece of several marketing campaigns and is on the second season of a 14-year, $340 million contract.
The Dominican shortstop is currently on a minor league rehab assignment after missing the first four months of the season with a broken left wrist.
Emerging as a star in his rookie season at age 20, Tatis III, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound shortstop whose power, speed, and penchant for the spectacular, won him a fanbase , came fourth in the poll. of NL MVP in 2020. Last year, he was even better, signing a record contract, placing third in MVP voting and cementing himself as one of the best players in the Major Leagues.
The Padres fell down the stretch, but had high hopes for 2022 after the appointment of Bob Melvin as their new manager. While work was halted due to a delay in spring training, Tatis broke his wrist in a motorcycle accident that required surgery.
San Diego promised to advance their rehab and expected a strong season featuring Tatis hitting leadoffs, with new acquisition Juan Soto hitting second and third baseman Manny Machado in third.
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