MLB

Mets’ Jenrry Mejia banned 162 games after 2nd failed PED test

Jenrry Mejia probably could use a new a career — and rocket scientist is out of the question.

The righty reliever likely has pitched his last game in a Mets uniform after testing positive for banned performance-enhancing drugs for the second time this season. The latest penalty, levied Tuesday by Major League Baseball, carries a 162-game suspension and puts Mejia on the brink of lifetime banishment from the sport.

“There is a tremendous amount of disappointment, to some extent anger,” general manager Sandy Alderson said before the Mets beat the Padres 4-0 at Citi Field. “To some extent amazement that this could happen so soon after a previous suspension was completed, and some sadness in the sense this is having a tremendously adverse effect on a very promising major league career, and that’s a shame.”

Mejia and Alex Rodriguez are the only major league players to receive a 162-game suspension for PEDs. Rodriguez’s case was different in that he never tested positive, but he was nailed for evidence that tied him to Biogenesis, which supplied PEDs to players.

According to a statement released by MLB, Mejia tested positive for Stanozolol and Boldenone. In his previous suspension, which ran 80 games and ended July 7, Mejia tested positive for Stanozolol.

Alderson indicated the Mets already had a deal on the table with Oakland for reliever Tyler Clippard when they were alerted by MLB on Monday that Mejia was facing suspension. The Mets acquired Clippard, who pitched a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday, for minor league pitcher Casey Meisner.

Mets players received word of the suspension before the game from manager Terry Collins. It came only three weeks after Mejia apologized to many of his teammates upon returning to the club from his first suspension.

“It’s very disheartening,” Bobby Parnell said. “Baseball is a sacred game and he broke a sacred rule. It takes away from the game. That’s not what we’re about here. We try to play the game the right way and do things the right way and it’s very unfortunate that apparently he didn’t.”

Mejia’s best friend on the team, Jeurys Familia, declined to address the issue with reporters. Michael Cuddyer called Mejia’s positive drug test “tough to take,” but disagreed with the notion Mejia made a mistake, even in breaking the rules once.

“It’s a choice,” Cuddyer said. “I don’t buy into the mistake thing. It’s a choice.”

Mejia, 25, appeared in seven games for the Mets following his reinstatement this month and pitched 7 ¹/₃ scoreless innings. He forfeited about $1.1 million during his first suspension and stands to lose about $866,000 for this latest transgression.

But Mejia will take his hardest hit this winter, when he is likely to be non-tendered.

Alderson indicated it’s possible Mejia has pitched his last game for the organization.

“I wouldn’t want to be that hasty today, but just think about the total suspension, when he might be able to return, the commitment that might require from us, it’s something we’re going to have to think about,” Alderson said. “Obviously we’re disappointed and we’ll see where it goes.”

Alderson said he was stunned to learn Mejia had failed another drug test.

“I was totally shocked, incredulous, whatever the right term is, that this could happen so swiftly on the heels of a past suspension,” Alderson said.

Collins wasn’t thrilled he had to answer questions after the game about Mejia failing a drug test for the second time this year.

“We just had a tremendous game — I don’t need to get socked in the gut again tonight,” Collins said. “I love Jenrry Mejia. I love him as a player. I love him as a person and I’m extremely disappointed in what has happened. This team has had enough bad breaks and bad luck this year to last a long time, and this is just another situation that the guys in the locker room are almost numb to problems now.”


Here were some reactions when the news first broke: