Marlon Byrd suspended 162 games after failing second PED test
Cleveland Indians outfielder Marlon Byrd was suspended 162 games by Major League Baseball on Wednesday after a second failed test for performance-enhancing drugs.
Vince Grzegorek of Cleveland Scene broke the news of Byrd’s suspension. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports confirmed it. When MLB announced the news officially, it revealed that Byrd tested positive for the growth hormone Ipamorelin
As a second-time PED offender, Byrd gets the stricter 162-game penalty outlined in MLB’s joint-drug agreement. He previously was suspended for 50 games in 2012 after a positive test for the steroid Tamoxifen.
Since Byrd is 38, there’s a good chance this latest suspension will be a career-ender.
In a statement released Wednesday, Byrd accepted his punishment without appeal and owned up to his mistake, though he maintained he never knowingly took Ipamorelin. Here’s Byrd’s statement in full:
“Today, I have accepted a 1 year suspension by Major League Baseball. Recently, I was notified that I had tested positive for Ipamorelin, a peptide prohibited by the JDA. In 2012, I tested positive for the medication Tamoxifen, which I was using on the advice of a physician for a medical condition resulting from surgery, and I accepted my suspension without challenge.
“Since that time, I have paid close attention to the substances that are banned by the Joint Drug Agreement, as I had no intention of taking any banned substances. I relied upon a medical professional for assistance and advice with respect to the supplements that I was taking. However, certain supplements I was taking were not on the NSF Certified for Sport list, and therefore, I assumed certain risks in taking them.
“When I learned that I had tested positive for Ipamorelin, I retained the services of private counsel and an independent chemist to determine the origin of the Ipamorelin test result because I never knowingly ingested Ipamorelin. After an extensive investigation by my lawyers and an independent chemist, it was concluded that the most likely source of Ipamorelin was a tainted supplement.
“I alone am responsible for what I put in my body, and therefore, I have decided for forgo my right to an appeal in this matter and accept the suspension. I apologize for any harm this has caused the Cleveland Indians, Indians’ fans, my teammates, and most importantly, my family.”
After Byrd’s 2012 suspension, he returned to MLB hit 24 homers and knocked in 88 runs for the Mets and Pirates in 2013. He then signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies and hit a career-high 25 homers in 2014 at age 36.
Byrd was traded twice, to the Reds and to the Giants, before hitting free agency again. Prior to this season, he signed a one-year, $1 million contact with the Indians and has hit .270 with five homers and 19 RBIs. He’s the second Indians outfielder to get popped for PEDs this season, as Abraham Almonte was suspended for 80 games in February.
It was reported in May, after Dee Gordon was busted, that more suspensions were coming. Byrd is the seventh big leaguer suspended this season for PEDs. According to ESPN, the tests used by MLB have gotten better since last season and the steroid users in baseball haven’t learned how to beat them yet.
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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz
