MLB Notes: Suspended Marlins’ Dee Gordon says he unknowingly took PEDs
Reigning N.L. batting champion Dee Gordon of the Miami Marlins says he unknowingly took the performance-enhancing drugs that led to his 80-game suspension, but he’ll accept the penalty.
The announcement of the suspension by Major League Baseball came shortly after the Marlins’ victory at Los Angeles on Thursday night. MLB said Gordon tested positive for exogenous testosterone and clostebol.
“Though I did not do so knowingly, I have been informed that test results showed I ingested something that contained prohibited substances,” Gordon said in a statement released Friday by the players union. “The hardest part about this is feeling that I have let down my teammates, the organization, and the fans. I have been careful to avoid products that could contain something banned by MLB and the 20-plus tests that I have taken and passed throughout my career prove this.
“I made a mistake and I accept the consequences.”
The 28-year-old Gordon led the majors in hits and stolen bases last year. He batted .333, became an All-Star for the second time and won a Gold Glove at second base.
The big season helped him earn a $50 million, five-year contract he signed in January.
He and Marlins manager Don Mattingly were together with the Dodgers for four years, but Gordon didn’t become a regular in Los Angeles until 2014. Gordon was traded to Miami in a seven-player deal in December 2014, and Mattingly became the Marlins’ manager this season.
“Dee is always a guy we felt could play, but at that point he was 145 pounds soaking wet,” Mattingly said during spring training. “Now he has turned into a man. He has put some physical strength on him, and he’s a different player.”
Following the suspension announcement, Mattingly said the Marlins will continue to support Gordon.
“I feel like Dee’s one of my kids, to be honest with you, because I’ve known him so long,” Mattingly said.
Shortly before the penalty was announced, Gordon hit an RBI single in the seventh inning and scored after forcing a balk as the Marlins rallied for a 5-3 win and a four-game sweep over Los Angeles.
Gordon became the seventh player to be suspended this year under the MLB drug plan. Last week, Toronto slugger Chris Colabello was penalized 80 games after testing positive for a PED.
Miami President David Samson said the Marlins “completely support the drug prevention program in every way.”
“Dee Gordon is a very important part of our team, and we all love him and support him,” Samson said. “That said, I don’t like or condone what he did.
“He will be back 80 games from now, and he will be welcomed back to this organization,” he added. “But in the interim period, we expect him, and we are positive that he will do everything that’s necessary to make it up to his fans, to his teammates and to this organization.”
The speedy Gordon is the son of former All-Star pitcher Tom Gordon.
Ichiro hits milestones
Ichiro Suzuki had a milestone hit and stolen base leading off the game for the Miami Marlins against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.
Ichiro hit a 1-0 fastball from Zach Davies into right field for a single, his 2,944th major league hit, moving him into 33rd place all-time ahead of Frank Robinson.
He then stole second base, his 500th in the majors, ranking 38th all-time.
Ichiro had 1,278 hits and 199 stolen bases playing in the Japanese Baseball League from 1992-2000.
Clearing the bases
An MRI has confirmed that Kris Bryant of the Cubs has a minor right ankle sprain. Bryant was injured running the bases in the third inning Thursday against the Brewers. … Yoenis Cespedes is back in the Mets’ lineup after missing five starts with a bruised right thigh. Cespedes initially got hurt jumping into the stands in pursuit of a foul ball. … Rangers righty Yu Darvish is scheduled to throw two innings or about 30 pitches for Double-A Frisco against Corpus Christi after last year’s Tommy John surgery. He could return to the Rangers’ rotation in late May.