Nearly 2 years after becoming the first player to receive a lifetime suspension under Major League Baseball’s drug program Bills Elite Jerseys , the New York Mets reliever was given conditional reinstatement Friday and could return to the big leagues in 2019.
Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said Mejia will be able to participate in non-public workouts in the team’s facilities after the All-Star break and will be eligible for a minor league rehabilitation assignment in mid-August. If Mejia meets specified conditions, such as not testing positive again for a banned substance, he would be eligible to resume all baseball activities when spring training starts in February.
Mejia was suspended for life on Feb. 12, 2016, after his third positive test for a banned steroid. The drug agreement allowed him to apply a year later for reinstatement that would be effective a minimum two years after the ban started, with the decision at the commissioner’s discretion.
Manfred had a meeting with Mejia in 2017, after the application to return to baseball was submitted.
”Mr. Mejia expressed regret for poor choices he made in the past and assured me that, if reinstated, he would adhere to the terms of the (drug) program going forward,” Manfred said in a statement. ”In light of Mr. Mejia’s contrition, his commitment to comply with the program in the future, and the fact that he will have already spent almost four consecutive years suspended without pay, I have decided to grant Mr. Mejia a final chance to resume his professional career.”
A right-hander who turns 29 in October, Mejia was the Mets’ closer in 2014 Authentic Orlando Brown Jr. Jersey , then was suspended for 80 games on April 11, 2015, following a positive test for Stanozolol, a drug popular among bodybuilders. At the time, he maintained, ”I can honestly say I have no idea how a banned substance ended up in my system.”
Mejia returned July 12, appeared in seven games for New York, then was banned for 162 games on July 28 after a positive test for Stanozolol and Boldenone. The third suspension was for a positive test for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid generally used by veterinarians on horses.
”I’ve had a long, difficult time away from the game to contemplate the mistakes I’ve made both with regard to my positive drug tests and also the false allegations I made about Major League Baseball’s investigation into my testing history,” Mejia said in a statement issued through the players’ association. ”Baseball is my profession, my passion and my life, and for those mistakes I am truly sorry.”
Mejia is 9-14 with a 3.68 ERA in 18 starts and 95 relief appearances. In addition to random drug tests, he will be subject annually to six additional urine tests and three additional blood tests.
He has four years Christian Kirk Jersey Elite , 140 days of major league service and would be eligible for salary arbitration this winter and again after the 2019 season before becoming eligible for free agency.
Even though Mejia is not being paid, he has a contract. The Mets cut his salary the maximum allowed, 30 percent over two years, from $2.47 million in 2016 to $1,976,000 in 2017 to $1,729,000 this year. For 2019, he can be cut by 20 percent to $1,383,200, staying within the reduction limit of 30 percent over two years.
”I am aware that he can get reinstated at some point,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. ”I think right now we’re just focused on who we have here and kind of moving forward.”
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Shelby Miller did not get the results he wanted, but just being back on the mound for the first time in over a year was a positive for him.
Brian Anderson and Cameron Maybin each drove in two runs to help spoil Miller’s return to the mound after missing over a year for Tommy John surgery as the Miami Marlins beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-5 on Monday night.
”It was so good to be back Zack Martin Jersey Womens ,” Miller said. ”I felt really good most of the game. I think my command could have been a little bit better, but overall I think the results don’t play out as good as I pitched.”
Miller (0-1) made his first start since April 23, 2017 and gave up six hits and five runs in 3 2/3 innings.
”It’s unfortunate it didn’t go the way he wanted as far as winning the game and going deep in the game, things he’s conditioned for, but just getting back on the mound and doing what he did today was really nice for all of us to see,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said.
He struck out five and walked two while throwing 85 pitches.
”It’s about getting out of there healthy, it’s about getting back on the bump after being off for 14 months, that alone is a goal reach in itself,” Miller said. ”I’m just excited to be back and I’m excited to be a part of the team again.”
Dan Straily (3-3) pitched effectively while appealing a five-game suspension for intentionally throwing a pitch at the San Francisco Giants’ Buster Posey on June 19. Straily allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings for the Marlins.
”Frustrating start to the game,” Straily said. ”I was trying to get back where I was as a pitcher, where I needed to be.”
Justin Bour hit his 13th home run for Miami, which won its third straight.
”As an offense we know we’re not a club that’s going to be a quick strike, throw five or six (runs),” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. ”We’re kind of one here D.J. Fluker Jersey Seahawks , two there type of offense and that’s the approach we’ve been taking.”
Jake Lamb began the scoring with a home run in the first inning for the Diamondbacks, who saw their four-game winning streak end.
Bour responded with a solo shot in the bottom half.
Jeff Mathis’s base hit and Miller’s sacrifice fly gave Arizona a 3-1 lead.
The Marlins cut the deficit to 3-2 on a single by Starlin Castro.
Miami scored three runs in the pivotal fourth to take a 5-3 lead on a base hit by Derek Dietrich and a two-run double by Anderson.
The Marlins broke the game open in the eighth with four runs sparked by Maybin’s two-run single.
Chris Owings’s RBI double and Mathis’s sacrifice fly in the ninth cut the final deficit to 9-5.
GOLDSCHMIDT EXTENDS ROAD STREAK
Arizona’s Paul Goldschmidt singled in the third inning to extend his road hitting streak to 13 games, which includes seven home runs and 17 RBIs during that span.
MARLINS ARE COMING BACK
Miami has won four of its last five home games with all four being comeback wins.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: RHP Clay Buchholz (left oblique) was placed on the 10-day disabled list. ”He said he could take the ball and would take the ball, that gives me the feeling that he’s feeling good enough, but not perfect,” Lovullo said. . LHP Robbie Ray (oblique) will make his return to the rotation for Wednesday’s game. . OF A.J. Pollock (thumb) has been cleared with baseball activities. . OF Steven Souza (pectoral) threw in the outfield and has been cleared to be a designated hitter in rehab assignments. . RHP Randall Delgado (shoulder) will have another rehab assignment on Wednesday, but still has ”several” more appearances before returning to the big leagues.
Marlins: C J.T. Realmuto (right wrist) did not play after taking a foul ball off his wrist in Sunday’s game. ”That last at-bat, he took a swing, and you could tell something was bothering him,” Mattingly said. ”We think he’s just a day. Give him a day and see how he feels. He was pretty sore today.” . LHP Caleb Smith (shoulder) was placed on the 10-day disabled list and MRI results revealed he has a Grade 3 lat strain. . RHP Jose Urena (shoulder) starting a throwing program and Mattingly believes he will be able to return soon after he is eligible on July 1.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Godley (8-5, 4.64 ERA) will start the second game of the series on Tuesday. Godley is 3-0 with a 2.95 ERA in three starts.
Marlins: RHP Elieser Hernandez (0-4, 5.12) will make his second start against the Diamondbacks after giving up five runs in three innings on June 1.
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