NEW YORK — San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr., one of the brightest, freshest stars in Major League Baseball, was suspended 80 games on Friday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.
The penalty imposed by MLB was effective immediately, meaning the shortstop cannot play in the majors this year for the postseason-contending Padres. He will miss the remaining 48 regular-season games this season and the first 32 next year.
MLB said the suspension – making Tatis one of the most prominent players penalized for PEDs – also will knock him out of playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.
Flashy at the plate and in the field, the 23-year-old Tatis was an All-Star last season when he led the National League with 42 home runs. He had not played this season after breaking his wrist in the offseason, but was expected to rejoin the Padres next week to boost a lineup that recently added star outfielder Juan Soto.
MLB said Tatis tested positive for Clostebol, a performance-enhancing substance.
“It turns out that I inadvertently took a medication to treat ringworm that contained Clostebol,” Tatis said in a statement released by the players’ union. “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 have no excuse for my error, and I would never do anything to cheat or disrespect this game I love,” he said, adding, “I am completely devastated.”
Freddy Galvis and Dee Gordon are among the major leaguers previously suspended for using Clostebol, an anabolic steroid that can be used for ophthalmological and dermatological use. It is also banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, and Olympic gold medal winning cross-country skier Therese Johaug was suspended in 2016 after testing positive.
Tatis had been on the injured list this season after breaking his left wrist in mid-March. He recently had begun a rehabilitation assignment in Double-A, and the playoff-contending Padres hoped he could return and boost their chances down the stretch.
“We were surprised and extremely disappointed to learn today that Fernando Tatis Jr. tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Prevention and Treatment Program and subsequently received an 80-game suspension without pay,” the Padres said in a statement. “We fully support the program and are hopeful that Fernando will learn from this experience.”
The penalty will cost Tatis about $2.9 million. Tatis will forfeit $1,510,989 of his $5 million salary this year, covering the final 55 days and 48 games of the season. He will lose approximately $1.39 million of his $7 million salary for the first 32 games of next season, with the exact number to be determined by how many days he misses.
“There is nowhere else in the world I would rather be than on the field competing with my teammates,” Tatis said. “After initially appealing the suspension, I have realized 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.”
ASTROS: Outfielder Michael Brantley will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his right shoulder this week.
Brantley, 35, hasn’t played in a big league game since June 26. He hit .288 with five homers and 26 RBI in 64 games in the final season of a $32 million, two-year contract.
Brantley had surgery on Wednesday.
GUARDIANS: Cleveland put unvaccinated right-hander James Karinchak on the restricted list before Friday night’s game at Toronto and selected righty Peyton Battenfield from Triple-A Columbus.
Foreign nationals who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 aren’t allowed to enter Canada, save for limited exceptions that require a 14-day quarantine.
Karinchak is 0-0 with a 1.72 ERA in 14 games for the AL Central leaders.
MARINERS: Right-hander Ken Giles was designated for assignment by Seattle, which had signed the reliever last year when he was recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The Mariners knew Giles wouldn’t pitch in 2021 when they signed him to a $7 million, two-year contract. But he appeared in only five games this season and had been on the injured list since July 9 because of right shoulder tightness.
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