Another suspension has hit MLB, this time for the Minnesota Twins. Young shortstop Jorge Polanco was suspended by the league earlier this week for PED use. Per MLB policy, Polanco will be suspended for 80 games. The team has confirmed the suspension and Polanco has since issued a statement.
Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco has received an 80-game suspension without pay after testing positive for Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance, MLB announces.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) March 18, 2018
#MNTwins statement regarding suspension of Jorge Polanco: pic.twitter.com/NSu3OeUeYa
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) March 18, 2018
Jorge Polanco has issued a statement: pic.twitter.com/tb32WrhjEM
— Dan Hayes (@DanHayesMLB) March 18, 2018
Jorge Polanco Suspended 80 Games For PED Use
Polanco’s Career Profile
Signed as an international free agent on July 6th, 2009, Polanco made his MLB debut in 2014. He only appeared in five games that year, and four games the next year. Polanco played in 69 games the next year, hitting for a .282 batting average with four home runs and 27 RBI.
He played in his first full time season last year for the Twins, hitting .256 with 13 home runs and 74 RBI. In the second half of the season, Polanco had the break out that the organization, and Twins fans, were hoping for. In the 63 games he played in the second half of the season, he batted .293 and hit 10 of his home runs and 43 RBI in that stretch.
Impact of the Suspension
For the Twins, this changes the lineup for Opening Day in a drastic way. It has already been confirmed that Eduardo Escobar will go back to shortstop with Ehire Adrianza seeing more time at third base backing up Miguel Sano. This also throws off the streak that Polanco was on and it looked as though he was ready to continue his breakout in the 2018 season. But for now, Polanco will have to wait to get back to being the shortstop the Twins hope he can continue to be.
