Three strikes and you’re out. New York Mets relief pitcher, Jenrry Mejia was banned from MLB for life on February 12 for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance again.
According to ESPN, Mejia tested positive for Boldenone, which athletes use to increase muscle mass and was once popular in horse racing. He is also permanently suspended from playing minor league baseball. The positive test was Mejia’s third positive test in the last year, which resulted in the lifetime ban. MLB instituted a lifetime ban for three positive PED tests in 2013. Mejia tested positive for Stanozolol last April, and last July he tested positive for Stanozolol and Boldenone. He becomes the first player in MLB history to receive a lifetime ban for PED use.
"We were deeply disappointed to hear that Jenrry has again violated Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program," the Mets said in a statement. "We fully support MLB's policy toward eliminating performance enhancing substances from the sport. As per the Joint Drug Program, we will have no further comment on this suspension."
Mejia, who is from the Dominican Republic, signed with the Mets in 2007. He reached the majors in 2010 and became the Mets closer in 2014. He is 9-14 with a 3.68 and 28 saves in 18 starts and 95 relief appearances, according to the Associated Press. Mejia will lose all of his $2.47 million salary this year due to the ban.
Mejia can apply for reinstatement one year from now. He would have to sit out for two years if he were to get reinstated, which means he would come back in 2018. The Mets made it to the World Series last year but lost to the Kansas City Royals.