Report: Former Blue Jay Pitcher Steve Delabar Suspended 80 Games

There have been 29 suspensions this year under the Minor League drug program. Two suspensions have been given in the major league program: Starling Marte of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Elniery Garcia of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Steve Delabar has been suspended for 80-games following a positive test under baseball’s Minor League drug program.

The former All-Star pitcher tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance ostarine-which is used to retain lean mass. Delabar was playing for Cleveland’s Triple-A team in Columbus this season.

The 33-year old is 15-9 with a 4.07 ERA in 190 relief appearances for Seattle (2011-2012), Toronto (2012-2015) and last season with Cincinnati. The Blue Jays acquired Delabar from the Mariners in exchange for Eric Thames on July 30, 2012.

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Delabar’s career was almost derailed in 2009 when suffered a fractured right elbow. The injury was so serious that he needed a steel plate with nine screws to stabilize his elbow following the surgery. After he introduced an arm conditioning program to his high school players in his hometown of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Delbar noticed a difference in his own arm.

The program helped Delabar regain enough velocity on his fastball that he was ready for another chance to play in the big leagues. He would sign a minor league deal with the Mariners in 2011.

His career revival led to one All-Star appearance for the Blue Jays in 2013- he finished with a 3.22 ERA that season and a career-high 82 strikeouts.

To make things more interesting, Delabar was not the only minor leaguer who was suspended. Jeffry Hernandez, currently a free agent, was also suspended for 80-games for testing positive for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid. Hernandez’s supension will kick in once a major league team signs him. Jonathan Aro, a member of Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Riders, was suspended for 50-games. MLB did not speficiy Aro’s suspension.

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The trio of suspensions brings that number to 29 suspensions this season in the Minor League drug program. The announcement comes less than a week after Starling Marte was supended for 80-games.