Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Starling Marte is the latest MLB player to test the League’s drug testing policy and subsequently failing in the process.
According to FanRag’s Jon Heyman, Marte has been suspended 80-games after testing positive for PEDs which was later to be identified as the steroid Nandrolone.
sources: starling marte positive for PED test
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 18, 2017
Marte chalks up the failed test to ‘neglect and a lack of knowledge’ in a released statement.
Starling Marte has released a statement regarding his 80-game PED suspension. pic.twitter.com/JsWFvXETKC
— Jared Diamond (@jareddiamond) April 18, 2017
This is obviously a huge blow to the Pirates who’ll be without their center fielder for a good chunk of the season. To make matters worse, not only will this force Andrew McCutchen and his negative-53 career DRS back to center, but Marte will also be ineligible for postseason play should the Pirates make it.
So far this season, Marte was slashing .241/.288/.370 with two home runs and seven RBIs. He was however coming of a 2016 season where he hit .311 and accumulated a WAR of 4.0.