Two players have been handed lengthy minor league suspensions after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance: Washington Nationals catcher Francisco Rivero and free-agent pitcher Raudi Perez will each miss 56 games.
Key takeaways
- Francisco Rivero, a catcher in the Washington Nationals organization, received a 56-game ban.
- Free-agent right-hander Raudi Perez was also suspended for 56 games.
- Both penalties followed positive tests for a performance-enhancing substance.
- The discipline was issued through baseball’s minor league drug program.
Two 56-game penalties
Rivero’s suspension removes a catcher from the Nationals’ minor league depth chart for a significant stretch of the schedule. The club system will have to cover those innings behind the plate without him while the ban is served.
Perez, currently without a team, faces the same 56-game penalty. For a free-agent pitcher, the suspension puts any immediate opportunity to return to affiliated baseball on hold until he is eligible again.
Minor league drug program action
The suspensions were imposed after both players tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance under the rules governing the minor leagues. Each player’s ban is set at 56 games, matching the discipline announced in the program’s latest action.
