Royals’ Raul Mondesi Jr. is suspended 50 games for violating drug policy
A billboard commemorating the Kansas City Royals’ 2015 World Series win is seen in left field during a game between the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals on April 19.
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Raul Mondesi Jr. was suspended 50 games Tuesday for violating baseball’s drug policy.
Mondesi, the son of the former Dodgers outfielder, tested positive for clenbuterol. Major League Baseball and its players’ union agreed that the use was inadvertent and reduced the suspension from the standard 80 games.
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In a statement, Mondesi said he used a cold and flu medication he bought in the Dominican Republic without reading the label or consulting the Royals’ medical staff. As a result, he tested positive for a banned substance, although he said “a miniscule amount of clenbuterol ... could not possibly have enhanced my performance on the field.”
He added: “There are no excuses for my carelessness in not being fully informed of what I put in my body.”
Royals General Manager Dayton Moore said in a statement: “This is an unfortunate incident that we believe to be an innocent mistake.”
Last fall, Mondesi, 20, became the first player to make his major league debut in the World Series. He is batting .250 with five home runs in 25 games at double-A Northwest Arkansas.
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Twitter: @BillShaikin
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