Atlanta Braves Relief Pitcher Arodys Vizcaino Suspended 80 Games For PEDs

Major League Baseball announced Thursday afternoon that they have suspended Atlanta Braves pitcher Arodys Vizcaino for 80 games after testing positive for Stanozolol.

Stanozolol is commonly sold under the name Winstrol or Winstrol Depot.  It’s a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from dihydrotestosterone.  This PED is unlike other more popular steroids as it can be taken orally instead of injected.

According to Drugs.com, Stanozolol is a man-made steroid, similar to a naturally occurring steroid testosterone.

Dating back to January 2014, MLB put in place a new drug policy which included random testing performed on players.  The amount of players who were caught doing some kind of steroids or illegal drugs is ridiculous.  Two Braves had previously made the list with Ricardo Rodriguez in 2005 and Jordan Schafer in 2008.

You can now add the 24-year-old, Vizcaino to that list.

“We’re obviously very disappointed in what’s transpired,” President of Baseball Operations John Hart said. Hopefully he’s going to be able to use this time to reflect.”

Vizcaino was originally signed by the New York Yankees in 2007 as an amateur free agent.  He was then traded to the Braves along with Melky Cabrera and Mike Dunn for Boone Logan and Javier Vazquez in 2009.  The Braves traded him at the trade deadline of 2012 to the Cubs for Reed Johnson and Paul Maholm.  Then, on November 16, 2014 the Cubs traded Vizcaino back to the Braves for infielder Tommy La Stella.  Also within this trade, the Braves acquired international money from the Cubs and they have signed eight players with that money.

During the 2015 Spring Training, Vizcaino had a 9.00 ERA, 2.125 WHIP, eight earned runs scored, and had a balk in eight innings pitched for the Braves.  He was sent down the Triple-A Gwinnett where the Braves hoped he could find his pitches again.  It is not known how long he’s been doing this illegal drug, but maybe it was in effort to make the Braves Opening Day roster?

This is a tough blow for both the Braves and Vizcaino but rules are rules. He’ll miss 80 games now but hopefully this time away will make him work harder and realize what he has….at least we can hope for the best.

Next: Braves Make Trade for DBacks' Trevor Cahill

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