Brewers pitcher suspended 162 games for second positive PED test

Major League Baseball announced that right-hander J.C. Mejía of the Brewers has been given a suspension of 162 games following a positive test for Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension goes into effect immediately. Mejía was given an 80-game suspension last year, also due to a positive test for Stanozolol.

Brewers general manager Matt Arnold issued a statement on the matter, per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “The Milwaukee Brewers fully support MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and share in the goal of eliminating performance-enhancing substances from our game.”

Mejía, now 27, was acquired from Cleveland after the 2021 campaign. He made two appearances for the Brewers last year before getting his 80-game suspension in May. After serving that suspension, he was outrighted off the club’s roster in August. He was selected back to the big league club this July and made nine appearances before landing on the injured list in August due to right shoulder inflammation. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list last week when the club selected Josh Donaldson.

It already seemed like Mejía’s 2023 was over but he’s now slated to miss effectively all of 2024 as well. He’ll be placed on the restricted list and won’t be paid or accrue service time as long as he is on there. That won’t immediately open up a roster spot for the Brewers since Mejía was already on the 60-day IL, but he won’t need to be added back to the roster over the winter like other players on the IL.