Veteran right-hander Jair Jurrjens, who was making a comeback attempt with the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for testosterone, the league announced yesterday. In a statement following the suspension, Jurrjens states that a prescribed substance that he’d been using to treat depression over the offseason is what triggered the positive test back in April. He had appealed the suspension, but that appeal has been denied.
Jurrjens, still just 31 years of age, hasn’t appeared in the Majors since 2014 and has just 16 2/3 big league innings under his belt since the completion of the 2012 campaign. Once a promising prospect with the Tigers and then the Braves, Jurrjens finished third in the 2008 NL Rookie of the Year voting — the beginning of an excellent four-year run with Atlanta. From 2008-11, he pitched 674 2/3 innings with a 3.34 ERA, 6.3 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9, making the All-Star team in 2011. However, a series of knee injuries torpedoed that promising start to his career, and he’s bounced around the league on a handful of minor league deals since that time.
The Dodgers possess a sizable crop of pitching depth — as can be seen on their depth chart — so it might’ve been a long shot for Jurrjens to resurface in the Majors anyhow. He’s still young enough to latch on with a new organization this offseason and attempt to break camp on a Major League roster, though, and his statement suggests that he plans to continue to pursue a return once his suspension has been served.
Through 54 1/3 innings with Triple-A Oklahoma City this year, Jurrjens had pitched to a 4.64 ERA with 7.3 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and a 42.4 percent ground-ball rate.
Damn
Using testosterone to treat depression? And if it was prescribed, he should have double checked with teammates/his organization.. No sympathy for him.
He wasn’t taking pure testosterone, the statement said that there is testosterone in the substance he was prescribed. At any rate, there are studies that do suggest that testosterone can help in the treatment of depression.
Not letting him off the hook by any means. As you said, he’s responsible for what goes into his body, and it’s on him to make sure that any medication or supplements he’s taking are approved under the JDA.
Even if it can help if allowed every player in MLB would suddenly need treatment for depression.
He’s really gonna be upset without your sympathy…
Do independent leagues test? There needs to be a league for guys with muscle type injuries to juice to their heart’s content until they feel physically ready to enter a non-PED environment.
Kind of a cool idea: a Juice League. Let everyone playing take whatever they want and wait for the results. Each team a beaker full of crazed players! The WWF of baseball. Shortstops and second basemen get to wear tasers around their ankles to defend themselves against the now-legal dirty slides.
Its called the NFL. Lol
Send the right message Dodgers, terminate his contract
People love to label these guys as ‘juice heads’ & cheaters and it’s naive. Most of time these days the ‘Drug’ they get suspended for is something over the counter you can buy at Walgreens or something simply prescribed by a Doctor.
It’s not longer guys jamming steroids in their butt to get huge and strong. Although I’m sure that still goes some.
They need to quit labeling it PEDs just to grab headlines.
Look up the different advantages of testosterone enhancement in any form. The league has collectively bargained lists of banned supplements for a reason.
Cheating is still cheating. They know exactly what they can and can’t do. It’s in black and white. These guys who get caught are like criminals who know what they’re doing is wrong but think they’ll “get away with it”. Personally, I’d like to see stronger penalties for cheating (minimum one year suspension for example) but I’m sure the union holds all the cards.
“I’m sure the union holds all the cards.”
Why are you sure of this?
I still haven’t gotten over my shock at the horrific agreement the players are alleged to have signed on to for the next five years.
Alleged? Meaning they were accused of signing, but may not have actually done it?
I certainly didn’t expect to see the name “Jair Jurrens” in a headline on MLBTR again in my lifetime, even in this context.
Well he did pitch for Team Netherlands in the WBC.