Mariners’ Tim Beckham suspended 80 games for PED violation
Aug 6, 2019, 10:48 AM | Updated: 10:59 am
Tim Beckham's Mariners tenure is likely over with his 80-game suspension. (AP)
(AP)
Tim Beckham has most likely played his last game for the Mariners.
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At 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, Major League Baseball released the following statement:
The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today that Seattle Mariners infielder Tim Beckham has received an 80-game suspension without pay after testing positive for Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
The 80-game suspension of Beckham is effective immediately.
Beckham is the second Mariners player to receive an 80-game suspension in the past two years. Robinson Canó tested positive for the diuretic Lasix (furosemide), which is often used to help mask banned substances, in 2018.
Shortly after MLB announced the suspension, the MLB Players Association released the following statement from Beckham:
The Major League Baseball Players Association is releasing the following statement on behalf of Tim Beckham: pic.twitter.com/lOVBtgkTgC
— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) August 6, 2019
Beckham, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 MLB Draft, signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract with the Mariners on Jan. 10. He began the season as Seattle’s everyday shortstop and moved to a utility role after J.P. Crawford was called up from Triple-A. Beckham hit .237/.293/.461 (.753 OPS) with 15 home runs in 328 plate appearances this season and was putting up some of the team’s best offensive numbers in the second half with a slash of .276/.344/.431 (.775) and a 111 wRC+.
Beckham started the season strong and won the first American League Player of the Week award of 2019 after hitting .435 with three home runs and a 1.432 OPS in the Mariners’ first six games.
The Mariners will recover the remaining dollars on Beckham’s salary during his suspension, and his open roster spot will most likely will be filled by Dee Gordon, who is due to come off the injured list.
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