MLB announced today that it has suspended four minor league players in violation of the league’s Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
- Reds right-handed pitcher Vladimir Gutierrez has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. The 24-year-old Gutierrez played all of the 2019 season at Triple-A, starting 27 games and notching a 6.04 ERA while striking out 117 batters in 137 innings. Gutierrez received a $4.75MM signing bonus from Cincinnati after defecting from Cuba during the 2016-2017 offseason.
- Two Dodgers pitchers have also been suspended: Juan Idrogo and Reza Aleaziz have received suspensions of 72 games and 50 games, respectively. Idrogo signed with the Dodgers during last summer’s international signing period, spending the summer in the Dominican Summer League. Aleaziz, 24, reached High-A ball last year after the Dodgers made him a 28th-round selection in 2018.
- Twins infielder Jose Rosario will also receive a 50-game suspension after testing positive for a drug of abuse. Rosario, 18, played last year, his pro debut, with the Twins affiliate in the Dominican Summer League. He posted a stellar .422 OBP in his first foray in affiliated ball.
DarkSide830
man, talk about a bust in Gutierrez
SamtheMan!
The Reds gave 5 million bucks to a 6ft Cuban Right Hander. You reap what you sow.
Maybe they’ll trade Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo for a couple rentals this year. I’m sure the Dodgers want to go shop their farm system again.
sherlock_
Wouldn’t that be 5 players then? Or is one in a different category?
gorav114
I’m only counting four??
sherlock_
Whoops guess I skimmed over the last one twice lol
cubshoops5
Was one deleted? I see Reds P, 2 Dodgers P’s and a Twins infielder
nymetsking
1+2+1=4
homerheins
I like the “more to come” because we know players were doping during this extra time.
Melchez
Is it really a “Performance Enhancing Drug” if you still suck when taking it?
RunDMC
lol…how much to retain you as my lawyer?
jbigz12
There’s a huge financial incentive for a guy like Gutierrez to juice. As a non 40 man roster minor league player—he’s making absolutely nothing. The penalty for players like him to juice to try to make the big leagues isn’t very substantial financially. If the player was to get caught. You’re taking basically a 12K gamble to potentially make 450K as a major leaguer per year.
Cat Mando
jbigz12
He signed for $4.75 million in August 2016. I would hope he is not destitute and counting on a MiLB or MLB salary to sustain him.
Capi
The player link takes you to the wrong José Rosario.
WAH1447
Wrong player for Rosario
AnnaDad
Why suspend players when they aren’t even playing?
hiflew
Shouldn’t suspensions be prorated also? The suspensions were set up for players to miss half a season for the first offense, not this entire season and part of next.
Pork Chop Pough
Suspensions of more than 60 games will be considered completed if the season is completed. None of these will carry into 2021. This has already been reported in the cases of Domingo German and Emmanuel Clase.
specialK
Any of those guys born in the states?
Altoidman
TF does that have anything to do with this?
specialK
I said what everyone was thinking. Don’t hate.