Astros pitcher Francis Martes, recovering from Tommy John surgery, suspended 80 games for PEDs
Astros pitcher Francis Martes – currently recovering from Tommy John surgery – was given an 80-game suspension for violating the league's drug policy.
Martes tested positive for clomiphene, a performance-enhancing substance, Major League Baseball said in a release Tuesday.
The 23-year-old didn't pitch in the majors in 2018, but made 32 appearances (four starts) for Houston in 2017. Martes underwent Tommy John surgery in August and wasn't expected to return to game action until late in the year, if he returned at all this season.
“The Houston Astros fully support MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment program," the team said in a statement. "We hope that Francis can learn from this experience and that he returns to have a successful career."
Martes was regarded as one of baseball's top prospects, ranking No. 20 on Baseball America's list before the 2016 season and No. 15 in the 2017 rankings.
According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, clomiphene is a "selective estrogen receptor modulator commonly used in female fertility brand name prescription medication" but can alter testosterone levels in men.