(New York) Toronto Blue Jays infielder Orelvis Martinez was suspended for 80 games Sunday after testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug clomiphene two days after his major league baseball debut.
Martinez, 22, has been on the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster since November 2022. He had one hit in three official at-bats Friday against the Cleveland Guardians, striking out once.
He released a statement apologizing to the Blue Jays and their fans.
“For two years, I’ve been trying to start a family with my girlfriend. During the off-season, we visited a fertility clinic in the Dominican Republic and after doing tests, we were prescribed a treatment that included a drug called Rejun 50, Martinez said in a statement released by the Players Association.
“Unfortunately, Rejun 50 contains a banned substance called clomiphene. We wanted to keep this matter private, even within our family, and trusted the doctor who assured us that this treatment did not include [substances banned by baseball]. Therefore, I made the mistake of not disclosing it to my team or the Players Association. That said, I take full responsibility for my actions and have accepted my suspension. »
Martinez first signed with the Blue Jays in July 2018 and has worked his way up through minor league baseball. He had a .260 batting average with 16 homers and 46 RBIs in 63 games this season with the AAA Buffalo Bisons.
“We were both surprised and disappointed to learn of Orelvis Martinez’s suspension,” Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said in a statement. We will do everything in our power to ensure that Orelvis learns from this mistake. »
Martinez is the eighth player sanctioned for using performance-enhancing drugs by the major leagues this season.