Brewers pitcher Mejía banned 80 games for positive doping test

NEW YORK (AP) — Milwaukee pitcher JC Mejía was suspended for 80 games on Tuesday following a positive test for…
NEW YORK (AP) — Milwaukee pitcher JC Mejía was suspended for 80 games on Tuesday following a positive test for the performance-enhancing substance Stanozolol, the second Brewers player disciplined this season under the drug program of Major League Baseball.
A 25-year-old right-hander acquired from Cleveland in November, Mejía had a 23.14 ERA in two relief appearances for the Brewers on May 11 and 14. He had an ERA of 0.84 in nine games with Triple-A Nashville.
Stanozolol is a synthetic steroid derived from testosterone.
“These mistakes have consequences,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday before his team’s home game against the Atlanta Braves. “It’s costing him a chance to establish himself as a major league pitcher. He needs to take this opportunity, use the time to improve and see what it brings in August, July or whenever this suspension is over.
The sanction comes after Brewers wide receiver Pedro Severino was suspended for 80 games on April 5 following a positive test for the performance-enhancing substance Clomiphene, a female fertility drug used by some athletes to counter side effects of steroid use.
“These are unfortunate situations,” Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “I think every situation is unique, but it’s certainly unfortunate for the team and unfortunate for the individual when that happens.”
Mejía made his major league debut with the Indians on May 21 last year and went 1-7 with an 8.25 ERA in 11 starts and six relief appearances.
He was placed on the shortlist on Tuesday and will lose around half of his salary. His contract calls for him to earn $701,900 in the majors and $160,800 in the minors.
Milwaukee replaced Mejía by selecting contract right-hander Trevor Kelley from Triple-A Nashville.
Mejía and Baltimore pitcher Matt Harvey, who was suspended for 60 games on Tuesday for distributing drugs, increased the number of players suspended this year under the major league drug program to six.
Three free agents were suspended for 80 games on April 4 following positive tests for Boldenone: outfielder/first baseman Danny Santana, pitcher Richard Rodríguez and infielder José Rondón. These were the first suspensions since the major league drug testing program resumed on March 11 after a 99-day suspension during the lockdown.
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