Kansas City Royals second baseman Miguel Tejada has been suspended 105 games by MLB today. The suspension comes after multiple positive tests for amphetamines in Tejada’s system. Apparently the banned substance that Tejada has been caught using is Adderall.
The official announcement from the commissioner’s office has just been released.
The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today that Kansas City Royals infielder Miguel Tejada has received a 105-game suspension without pay after testing positive for an Amphetamine in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension of Tejada is effective immediately.
Tejada has previously tested positive for Amphetamines. Under Baseball’s joint drug agreement a second positive test for amphetamine use is due a 25 game suspension, and a third positive test an 80 game suspension. It seems that Tejada has been given 105 games for a 2nd and 3rd violation under the same sentence.
The 39-year-old former American League MVP was basically a utility infielder in Kansas City, but was recently placed on the 60-day disabled list, effectively ending his season with a calf strain. It is unclear if Tejada will want to return in 2014 or retire, but if he does, his suspension will carry over into the first 64 games next season. He was batting .288/.317/.378 with three home runs and 20 RBIs over 53 games with the Royals this season.
Players are allowed to use Adderall if they have a therapeutic use exemption, but Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that Tejada’s expired on April 15.
This suspension is the third longest non-lifetime suspension ever handed out by MLB. The only longer suspensions handed down have been Alex Rodriguez’s 211 game suspension currently under appeal and Steve Howe’s 119 day suspension.
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