MLB Suspends Orelvis Martinez Over Positive Drug Test

Toronto Blue Jays infielder Orelvis Martinez is the latest MLB player to have gotten suspended from the league.

The 22-year-old violated the league’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

Following his suspension from the MLB, Orelvis Martinez broke his silence.

22-year-old Orelvis Martinez, an infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays, has been suspended 80 games without pay by MLB for violating the league’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, the league announced on Sunday, June 23.

According to SportsNet, the suspension of Martinez took effect immediately after he tested positive for clomiphene, a performance-enhancing substance.

Martinez ingested clomiphene through a fertility medication called Rejun 50, which he and his partner were prescribed in the Dominican Republic last off-season.

"For the past two years, I have been trying to start a family with my girlfriend. During the offseason, we visited a fertility clinic in the Dominican Republic and after getting lab work done, we were prescribed a treatment, which included a medication called Rejun 50," the MLB said. "Unfortunately, Rejun 50 contains a banned substance called clomiphene."

“We wanted to keep this matter private, even within our family, and trusted the doctor who assured us this treatment did not include performance-enhancing drugs,” Martinez said in the statement after the news broke. “Therefore, I made the mistake of not disclosing this to my team or the MLBPA."

“What that said, I took full responsibility for my actions and accepted my suspension," he added. "I want to apologize to my teammates in both Buffalo and Toronto, the Blue Jays organization, and most importantly, the fans who have supported me during my career."

"I will learn from this experience and come back to the field in September," Martinez concluded.

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins also released a statement after the MLB announced the news of Orelvis Martinez’s suspension.

“We were both surprised and disappointed to learn of Orelvis Martinez’s suspension,” Atkins said in a club statement, per SportsNet. “We will do everything in our power to ensure Orelvis has learned from this mistake. Orelvis has our support, and we know he will get through this.”

Martinez is now the eighth player this year to get caught for performance-enhancing drugs, the second one under the major league program. Noelvi Marté, a 22-year-old infielder and the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect, got an 80-game suspension after testing positive for Boldenone.

A total of five players have been suspended under the minor league program, while an additional player was penalized under MLB’s new drug program specifically for minor league players assigned outside the United States and Canada.

After hearing the news, several MLB fans reacted to the news, mocking Martinez. "Dude thought there’s no way he’d get tested after his first game," one X user wrote.

"As a Jays fan.. just end the 2024 season already," another said. "What a complete disaster."

"Took bro a couple days to already feel the need to cheat," a third said while one baseball fan expressed, "What a loser… an embarrassment to the name…"

The Blue Jays are currently 35-41, and are last in the American League East.

According to the official website, Major League Baseball's Drug Prevention and Treatment Programs were established to prevent and end the use of Prohibited Substances by all 40- and non-40-man roster Players. The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball has concluded that the use of Prohibited Substances is potentially hazardous to a Player's health and/or may give a Player an unfair competitive advantage.

Martínez joined the Toronto Blue Jays in July 2018, signing for a $3.51 million bonus. Since then, he has progressed through their minor league system, achieving a .260 batting average with 16 home runs, 46 RBIs, and an .867 OPS over 63 games this season with Triple-A Buffalo.

He will see a significant loss in his salary, losing about half of his income. His contract specifies earnings of $740,000 in the majors and $120,600 in the minors, both minimum salary figures.