Brewers Catcher Pedro Severino Suspended 80 Games For Ovulation Drug

Milwaukee catcher Pedro Severino was suspended for 80 matches on Tuesday after a positive drug test, the fourth major league to be punished within two days.

Severino tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug Clomiphene, the commissioner’s office said. The drug is used to cause ovulation.

Severino will lose about half of his $ 1.9 million salary. He apologized to the Brewers, teammates and supporters.

“Since late 2020, my wife and I have been unsuccessfully trying to start a family,” Severino said in a statement issued by the players’ association. “When we returned to the Dominican Republic after the 2021 season, we sought medical help to determine why we did not succeed. One of the doctors I consulted prescribed me a medication to treat infertility issues. Unfortunately, I now know that the medication contained Clomiphene. I accept responsibility for this mistake and decided not to challenge my suspension. “

The 28-year-old, a seven-year veteran in the major leagues, is in his first season with the Brewers after playing for Washington and Baltimore. He hit .248 for the Orioles last season with 11 homers and 46 RBIs, leaving him with a career average of .235 with 33 homers and 133 RBIs.

“I’ve been tested more than 100 times in my career and I’ve never had a problem,” Severino said.

Severino batted .435 with two homers and nine RBIs in eight spring practice games. He is expected to serve as the mainstay for 2021 All-Star Omar Narváez, filling a void created when the Atlanta Braves signed Manny Piña away from Milwaukee.

Other catchers on the Brewers’ 40-man list are Mario Feliciano and Brett Sullivan. Feliciano has one game’s MLB experience and Sullivan has never played in the majors.

Three free agents were suspended on Monday after positive tests for Boldenone: outfielder / first baseman Danny Santana, thrower Richard Rodríguez and winger José Rondón. These were the first suspensions since the main league drug testing program resumed on March 11 after a 99-day suspension during the exclusion.

All the positive tests were due to urine samples taken before the exclusion began on December 2, but MLB concluded that he could not announce discipline during the exclusion, a person familiar with the test program told The Associated Press said, speaking on condition of anonymity because that detail was not announced.