NEW YORK (AP) — Outfielder/first baseman Danny Santana, pitcher Richard Rodríguez and infielder José Rondón were suspended for 80 games each Monday in the first discipline since the major league drug testing program resumed March 11 following a 99-day suspension during the lockout.
The three, all free agents, tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance Boldenone, the commissioner’s office said Monday.
The tests resulted from urine samples taken before the lockout started Dec. 2, but MLB concluded it could not announce discipline during the lockout, a person familiar with the testing program said, speaking on condition of anonymity because that detail was not announced.
Santana, 31, is an eight-year major league veteran who hit .181 with five homers and 14 RBIs in 38 games for the Boston Red Sox last season. He has a .255 career average with 47 homers and 202 RBIs for Minnesota (2014-17), Atlanta (2017-18), Texas (2019-20) and Boston.
Rodriguez, a 32-year-old right-hander, was acquired by Atlanta from Pittsburgh on July 30 and went 1-2 with a 3.12 ERA in 27 relief appearances for the Braves but did not appear on a postseason roster for the World Series champions. He was 5-4 with a 2.94 ERA in 64 relief outings last year and has a 16-14 career record with a 3.28 ERA and 19 saves for Baltimore (2017), Pittsburgh (2018-21) and Atlanta.
Rondón, 28, hit .263 with three homers and nine RBIs in 63 games for St. Louis last season. He has a .216 average with 12 homers and 33 RBIs in four seasons with San Diego (2016), the Chicago White Sox (2018-19), Baltimore (2019) and St. Louis.
These were the first suspensions under the major league drug program since Oakland outfielder Ramón Laureano was disciplined last Aug. 6, an 80-game penalty that has 27 games left to be served this season. There have been 20 suspensions this year under the minor league drug program.
-- Ronald Blum, Associated Press Baseball Writer
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