Toronto Blue Jays infielder Orelvis Martínez, who was recently called up to the majors, was suspended for 80 games Sunday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
Martínez tested positive for clomiphene, the team announced. He made his major league debut on Friday against the Cleveland Guardians.
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Orelvis Martínez of the Toronto Blue Jays misses during the eighth inning of a Guardians game, Friday, June 21, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
“For the past two years, I have been trying to start a family with my girlfriend. During the off-season, we visited a fertility clinic in the Dominican Republic and after having lab tests done, we were prescribed a treatment, which included a medication called Rejun 50,” Martínez said in a statement through the MLB Players Association.
“Unfortunately, Rejun 50 contains a banned substance called clomiphene. We wanted to keep this matter private, even within our family, and we trusted the doctor who assured us that this treatment did not include performance-enhancing drugs. Therefore, I committed the “By disclosing this to my team or the MLBPA, that being said, I took full responsibility for my actions and accepted my suspension.”
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Orelvis Martínez of the Toronto Blue Jays is congratulated at first base after his first hit in the majors against the Guardians, Friday, June 21, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Martinez, 22, was an international signing from the Dominican Republic in 2018. He quickly rose through the Blue Jays' farm system, as he was ranked No. 75 in Baseball America's prospect rankings.
He played in 63 games for Triple-A Buffalo, hitting 16 home runs and batting .260.
“The Blue Jays fully support Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and believe strongly in keeping the game on a level playing field,” said Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins.
“We are surprised and disappointed to learn of Orelvis Martínez's suspension. We will do everything in our power to ensure that Orelvis has learned from this mistake.”
Toronto Blue Jays' Orelvis Martines returns to the dugout after striking out against the Guardians, Friday, June 21, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
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He is expected to lose about half his salary. He earned $740,000 in the majors and $120,600 in the minors.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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