Astros’ Martes hit with 162 games ban
NEW YORK: Houston Astros pitcher Francis Martes was hit with a 162game suspension on Monday after failing a drug test for the second time in just over a year, Major League Baseball announced.
The 24-year-old Dominican pitcher was banned for the entire 2020 regular season after testing positive for the prohibited anabolic steroid Boldenone.
The failed drug test comes after Martes was given an 80-game suspension in March 2019 for testing positive for the testosterone-boosting fertility drug Clomiphene. Martes was a member of the Astros pre-season training camp but was not expected to make the team’s opening day roster.
The Astros, who have been reeling from the sign-stealing scandal that led to the dismissal of manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow, expressed disappointment at Martes’ conduct. “Throughout our system, players are educated through MLB’s Drug Prevention and Treatment Programs,” the Astros said.
“It is disappointing when any player is in violation of the policies that are in place. We hope that Francis will learn from this experience moving forward.”
Meanwhile, to put it lightly, Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Justin Turner does not see eye to eye with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.
The 35-year-old veteran ripped the commissioner on Monday for describing the World Series trophy as “a piece of metal” during a recent interview.
Turner was part of the Dodgers team that lost the 2017 World Series in seven games to the Astros, who since have been implicated in the sign-stealing controversy.
Manfred’s “piece of metal” comment came in response to the notion of stripping Houston of their title. “The reason every guy is working out all off-season and putting in all the time and effort is specifically for that trophy, which, by the way, is called the Commissioner’s Trophy,” Turner said.