(New York) Toronto Blue Jays infielder Orelvis Martinez was suspended for 80 games Sunday after testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug clomiphene two days after his major league baseball debut.
Martinez, 22, has been on the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster since November 2022. He had one hit in three official at-bats Friday against the Cleveland Guardians, being struck out once.
“Orelvis was upset, disappointed and pretty honest for a young player when he told us,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said before the series finale against the Guardians in Cleveland. He is visibly touched and knows he made a mistake. We will support him throughout the process. »
Martinez released a statement apologizing to the Blue Jays and their fans.
“For two years, I have been trying to start a family with my girlfriend. During the off-season, we visited a fertility clinic in the Dominican Republic and after carrying out tests, we were prescribed a treatment including a drug called Rejun 50, Martinez said in a statement released by the Players Association.
“Unfortunately, Rejun 50 contains a banned substance called clomiphene. We wanted to keep this matter private, even within our family, and trusted the doctor who assured us that this treatment did not include any [substances interdites par le baseball]. Therefore, I made the mistake of not disclosing it to my team or the Players Association. That said, I take full responsibility for my actions and have accepted my suspension. »
Martinez signed his first contract with the Blue Jays in July 2018 and rose through the ranks in minor league baseball. He had a .260 batting average with 16 home runs and 46 RBIs in 63 games this season with the AAA Buffalo Bisons.
“We were both surprised and disappointed to learn of Orelvis Martinez’s suspension,” Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said in a statement. We will do everything in our power to ensure that Orelvis learns from this mistake. »
Martinez is the eighth player sanctioned for using performance-enhancing substances by the major leagues this season.