Los Angeles
MLB slapped Emmanuel Clase with an 80-game ban on Friday, making the Cleveland Indians pitcher the second player from the Dominican Republic to be suspended for using illegal steroids in the past six weeks.
The right-handed pitcher violated MLB’s drug prevention and treatment program by testing positive for the prohibited anabolic steroid Boldenone, MLB said in a news release.
In February, Houston Astros pitcher Francis Martes, of the Dominican Republic, was given a 162-game ban after testing positive for Boldenone.
Boldenone is sold under the brand names Parenabol and Equipoise and is used mainly as a veterinary medicine, including illegally in race horses.
The league said the 22-year-old Clase has been suspended without pay but did not say where or how Clase got the steroids.
The Indians said in a news release they don’t plan to appeal the decision and that he is free to rejoin the team once his suspension is over. “We were disappointed to learn of today’s suspension of Emmanuel Clase for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.—APP
