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The Padres will be without Fernando Tatis Jr. for the rest of the season.
Tatis Jr. tested positive for Clostebol, and will be suspended for 80 games. The news of the suspension was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
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“I’ve been informed by Major League Baseball that a test sample I submitted returned a positive result for Clostebol, a banned substance,” Tatis Jr. said in a statement, through the MLBPA.
“It turns out that I inadvertently took a medication to treat ringworm that contained Clostebol. I should have used the resources available to me in order to ensure that no banned substances were in what I took. I failed to do so.
“I want to apologise to Peter, AJ, the entire Padres organisation, my teammates, Major League Baseball, and fans everywhere for my mistake. I have no excuse for my error, and I would never do anything to cheat or disrespect the game I love.”
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The 23-year-old phenom had missed the entire season due to a fractured wrist but had been expected to return soon.
This is a blow to the Padres, who went all in trading a haul of highly-ranked prospects to the Nationals for superstar outfielder Juan Soto and formidable first baseman Josh Bell.
“I have taken countless drug tests throughout my professional career, including on March 29, 2022, all of which have returned negative results until this test,” Tatis Jr.’s statement continued.
“I am completely devastated. There is nowhere in the world I would rather be than on the field competing with my teammates. After initially appealing the suspension, I have realised that my mistake was the cause of this result, and for that reason I have decided to start serving my suspension immediately. I look forward to rejoining my teammates on the field in 2023.”
The Padres are 63-51. While they trail the Dodgers by 16 games in the NL West, they would qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card team if the playoffs started today.
Tatis Jr. signed a 14-year, $AUD477 million contract with the Padres last February.
This story originally appeared on the New York Post and has been reposted with permission
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