Right-handed reliever Steve Delabar, who signed a minor league deal with the Indians this winter, has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for the banned substance Ostarine, the league announced Monday. Delabar hasn’t been active with the club in Triple-A due to the pending suspension, the Indians added in their own announcement.
The 33-year-old Delabar has fallen off the radar somewhat in recent years, but he’s a veteran of six Major League seasons, most recently tossing eight innings with the Reds in 2016. Delabar was an All-Star with the Blue Jays back in 2013 and served as a very effective member of Toronto’s relief corps from 2012-13 before declining in 2014-15. (Of anecdotal note, MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince reminds, on Twitter, that the Jays initially acquired Delabar from the Mariners by trading a fairly promising young outfielder by the name of Eric Thames to Seattle.)
Given the depth of Cleveland’s bullpen, it didn’t seem especially likely that Delabar would resurface on their big league roster in the near future, though a strong performance and/or injuries at the Major League level could certainly have created an opportunity. In 194 2/3 Major League innings, Delabar has a 4.07 ERA with 11.2 K/9, 4.7 BB/9 and a 36.6 percent ground-ball rate.
padreforlife
Never heard of him so now he’s in news
EonADS
About the only thing I remember from Delabar is that he gave up five consecutive unintentional walks, four of them with the bases loaded, last year against the Indians. That was just bizarre.
lesterdnightfly
Was this an accident, or did he do it Delabar-ately ?
Cam
Probably, and he’s been Dela-barred accordingly.
a37H
This is hilarious
impapad57
Not funny… it’s a very Dela-cate situation
chesteraarthur
These type of uses make more sense. Dude on fringe trying to get back figures it’s worth a shot to take em. The Marte types, make no sense to me.
Aoe3
Shocking.
If I remember correctly when he was with the Jays, Delebar was also a student teacher during the off season. He also is a huge fan of the weighted ball program to increase shoulder/arm strength.
ericl97
this is true
mike156
I can sooner see this, a 33 year old vainly trying to get a job, rather than Marte,locked into a contract for 4 more years. Doesn’t excuse it, but it’s understandable.
farmerjohn
I don’t see delabar doing this intentionally. He must have taken something you buy at gnc not knowing it had a banned substance in it.
ReverieDays
He’s a professional athlete, the “I’m too dumb to check” excuse doesn’t really fly. He’s just a washed-up cheater doing whatever he can to try and hang on.
Cam
Ostarine is a stand alone drug, it’s incredibly unlikely that it was ingested as a by-product of some supplement on the market.
bastros88
Did he pitch in the 2013 all star game or am I thinking of someone?
partyatnapolis
he was a 2013 all star
usafcop
Eric Thames for sure…..guy is killing me in fantasy as he isn’t on my team….test his ass….
DigirolamoDan6194
You a Cubs fan? Dont be ridiculous! Dude figured it out in Korea not everyone comes up the first time and rakes. He was just pushed to the wayside by the Jays after he didnt start that good. Pedroia hit under .200 in his first season coming up.
Mattimeo09
What I propose is that the League tests every major league player at least twice and every AA
DigirolamoDan6194
The testing is random and you are not supposed to know when it comes. Thats the whole point if the testing that is in place its random and never know when it will come. So you cant say okay i got tested in the beginning of the year now i can take some stuff now then at the end of the year be clean for my end of the year check. You would have more guys using PEDs