SUSPENSION :MBL suspends two players from the Toronto Blue Jays for violating the gambling rules of the…
New York โ Blue Jays left-hander Thomas Pannone was suspended for 80 games without pay for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced Friday.
The organization’s 26th-ranked prospect was suspended after testing positive for Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a performance-enhancing drug.
Pannone, acquired from the Indians for reliever Joe Smith at last season’s Trade Deadline, had progressively improved his value since being drafted in the ninth round in 2013. Last season, he finished 9-3 with a career-high 2.36 ERA in 25 starts in the Class A Advanced Carolina League and Double-A Eastern League, striking out 149 batters and pitching 144 2/3 innings. The Rhode Island native was 1-2 with a 3.63 ERA and 29 strikeouts.
s and eight walks in 34 2/3 innings with Double-A New Hampshire after the deal.
The 23-year-old throws a fastball, changeup, and curveball. While none of them are regarded plus offerings, all three are ranked 50 or higher on MLB Pipeline’s 20-80 scouting scale, with his 55-grade curveball sticking out.
Pannone issued a message on Twitter denying the test results and claiming his innocence.
“I have worked too hard to get where I am today to jeopardize my reputation and my career by taking a performance-enhancing drug,” he told reporters. “I have the utmost respect for my family, my teammates, my organization and the fans to let my character be called into question.”I hope that future athletes who unintentionally test positive for DHCMT will
They have a better chance of clearing their names than I have. I am completely aware that, regardless of my innocence, I will need to regain the trust of people, and I want to make that a priority for the remainder of my career.”