Nearly 2 years after becoming the first player to receive a lifetime suspension under Major League Baseball’s drug program Authentic Barkevious Mingo Jersey , 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 D.J. Fluker 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 Authentic Dontae Johnson Jersey , 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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Jay Ajayi has fit in nicely with a rotation of running backs on the Philadelphia Eagles since his arrival from Miami at the trade deadline.
The playoffs could turn him into a workhorse.
Ajayi was the only regular on offense who sat out the final game because the Eagles (13-3) had already secured the NFC’s No. 1 seed. That was an indication of his value and coach Doug Pederson’s plans to use him more in the postseason. Plus, Ajayi has a quirky knee.
”I think that’s a possibility with what he’s shown us down the stretch here and giving him rest last week Authentic Ryan Jensen Jersey , and we’ll see where he is this week health-wise,” Pederson said. ”I think he’s one of the guys that we can rely on. Again, I don’t want to get away from the things that got us to this point, too. That’s the other thing is you don’t want to just abandon ship on everybody else. I do think there could be a little more role for him down the stretch.”
Ajayi had 408 yards rushing , one touchdown and an average of 5.8 yards per carry in seven games for Philadelphia. He had 465 yards rushing and averaged 3.4 yards per carry with no touchdowns in Miami. Last year, Ajayi went to the Pro Bowl after running for 1,272 yards, including three 200-yard games.
LeGarrette Blount led the Eagles with 766 yards rushing. He had four rushing TDs and averaged 4.4 yards. Undrafted rookie Corey Clement chipped in with 321 yards, four TDs and an average of 4.3 yards.
Blount, a two-time Super Bowl champion with New England, has accepted his diminished role and put the team first since Ajayi’s arrival.
”LeGarrette has embraced his role,” Pederson said. ”He’s been a pleasant surprise, particularly with the younger guys. He understands his role. He’s going to be a big part of the success, and has been a big part of the successes this year already. He has been to the pinnacle. He’s been there and understands it Authentic Vinny Curry Jersey , what it takes. Those are the things I’m going to lean on him with our team and with the guys that haven’t been there, how to practice, how to prepare. So he’s really done a nice job in his role.”
The Eagles finished the season with the NFL’s third-ranked running offense. But they struggled down the stretch, especially after Carson Wentz tore his ACL in Week 14. They averaged 147.5 yards rushing in the first 11 games and only 98.6 in the last five.
Opponents focused more on stopping Philadelphia’s run when Nick Foles replaced Wentz, and the team averaged just 61.3 rushing yards in the last three games. Foles and the starters only played one quarter in the 6-0 loss to Dallas last Sunday, and Ajayi watched from the sideline.
”We have to get better in the run game,” Pederson said. ”That helps any quarterback, obviously, so we have to get better there. We have to make sure we’re doing our due diligence as a staff to put our guys in successful positions.”
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