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MLB players facing punishment for their alleged connection to the Biogenesis clinic in Miami may face suspensions before the appeals process, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports is reporting.
When a player tests positive for a performance-enhancing drug, their suspension is not supposed to be announced until after the appeals process. The MLB Joint Drug Agreement, however, enables the sport to announce suspensions for "just cause" before the appeals process has begun, but only if the allegations have been previously made public from outside sources, according to Rosenthal.
That means Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and other players who have never been suspended for positive tests are not guaranteed the same level of confidentiality that a player who has tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug is guaranteed.
These first-time offenders could continue playing while their appeals are being heard. Players like Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera, Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Bartolo Colon and San Diego Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal, who have been previously suspended for performance-enhancing drugs, could not play during the appeals process.
MLB cannot suspend a player twice for the same offense, so Cabrera, Colon and/or Grandal may not face suspensions if they used and tested positive for the drugs from the Biogenesis clinic.
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