Josh Hamilton’s story, of being a top prospect who was banned from baseball for a year due to drug issues, and then conquering those issues to become one of the game’s most feared hitters is well known. Unfortunately that inspiring story has taken another turn and it appears to be a dark one.
Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday afternoon that Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton had been summoned to New York City to meet with Major League Baseball officials concerning a “disciplinary issue.”
Now CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman is reporting that he is hearing from sources that Hamilton had a relapse “a couple months back” that “involved at least cocaine.” Heyman says that the 33-year-old slugger confessed to MLB officials that he used. There’s no word of a failed test.
The question now becomes if Hamilton will be suspended. Heyman suggests that he may be treated as a first time offender since his previous issues were before he was on a major league roster.
Hamilton was a feared slugger in Texas, but things have gone down hill since he signed a five-year $125 million deal with the Angels prior to the 2014 MLB season. He has hit just 31 home runs and has faced numerous injury issues since that time. He is currently expected to be out until mid-May dealing with the recovery and rehab from off-season surgery on his right shoulder, but things become murkier with the possibility of a suspension.
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