Brewers pitcher Mejía banned 80 games for positive drug test

NEW YORK Milwaukee pitcher J.C. Mejía was suspended for 80 games on Tuesday following a positive test for the performanceenhancing substance Stanozolol, the second Brewers player disciplined this season under Major League Baseball’s drug program.

A 25-year-old right-hander acquired from Cleveland in November, Mejía had a 23.14 ERA during a pair of relief appearances for the Brewers on May 11 and 14. He had a 0.84 ERA 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 costs him a chance to establish himself as a major league pitcher. He’s got to take this opportunity, use the time to make himself better and see what that brings in August, July or whenever this suspension is completed.”

The penalty comes after Brewers catcher Pedro Severino was suspended for 80 games on April 5 following a positive test for the performance-enhancing substance Clomiphene, a women’s fertility drug used by some athletes to counter side effects of steroids 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 its unfortunate for the individual when this happens.”

Mejía made his major league debut with the Indians on May 21 last year and went 1-7 with a 8.25 ERA in 11 starts and six relief appearances.

He was placed on the restricted list Tuesday and will lose about half his salary. His contract calls for him to earn $701,900 while in the major leagues and $160,800 while in the minors.

Milwaukee replaced Mejía by selecting the contract of righthander Trevor Kelley from Triple-a Nashville.

Mejía and Baltimore pitcher Matt Harvey, who was suspended for 60 games on Tuesday for drug distribution, raised to six the number of players suspended this year under the major league drug program.

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. Those were the first suspensions since the major league drug testing program resumed March 11 following a 99-day suspension during the lockout.

O’s Harvey suspended 60 games by MLB for drug distribution.

NEW YORK Baltimore Orioles pitcher Matt Harvey was suspended for 60 games by Major League Baseball on Tuesday for distributing a prohibited drug of abuse, a punishment stemming from his admission of providing opioids to a teammate who fatally overdosed.

The former New York Mets star also admitted in February during a federal trial in Texas stemming from Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs’ death that he used cocaine while in New York and California.

Harvey, a 33-year-old righthander, agreed last month to a minor league contract with the Orioles that called for a $150,000 salary while in the minor leagues, a $1 million salary while in the major leagues and a $500,000 assignment bonus if traded while under a major league contract. He has been working out at Baltimore’s extended spring training facility and has not pitched in any games.

The suspension is retroactive to April 29. Under an agreement between MLB and the players’ association, minor league games will count toward the suspension, a person familiar with that provision told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because that was not announced.

Harvey would be eligible to be active on July 8, if there are no postponements.