Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia first player to draw lifetime drug ban

NEW YORK -- Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia has become the first player to receive a lifetime ban under baseball's drug agreement after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance for the third time.

The commissioner's office said Friday that Mejia tested positive for Boldenone, which athletes have used to increase muscle mass and once was popular for use in horse racing.

The 26-year-old was the Mets' closer before he was suspended for 80 games last April 11 following a positive test for Stanozolol, a drug popular among bodybuilders. At the time, he said, "I can honestly say I have no idea how a banned substance ended up in my system."

He 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.

"I think not surprisingly there's a tremendous amount of disappointment, I think to some extent, anger, to some extent, amazement that this could happen so soon after a previous suspension was completed," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said then. "This is the consequence of making bad choices."

Mejia's 162-game suspension had matched the longest under the big league program, a year-long ban served by the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez in 2014 that originally was 211 games before an arbitrator reduced it.

Major league players and teams agreed in November 2005 that a third positive test for PEDs would result in a lifetime ban. No players have been banned for life under the rules, which were put in place under pressure from Congress to toughen their drug program.

Mejia has spent parts of five seasons with the Mets. His breakout campaign came in 2014, when he appeared in 63 games and posted a 3.65 ERA and 28 saves. The Dominican right-hander signed with the organization in 2007.

The Mets and Mejia had just agreed last month to a one-year, $2.47 million contract.

"We were deeply disappointed to hear that Jenrry has again violated Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program,"the Mets said in a statement reported by CBS New York. "We fully support MLB's policy toward eliminating performance enhancing substances from the sport. As per the Joint Drug Program, we will have no further comment on this suspension."

Mejia may apply one year from now to baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred for reinstatement, and Manfred at his discretion has the power to let Mejia back in baseball - but no earlier than for the 2018 season.

If an application is made and denied, Mejia could ask baseball's arbitrator to end the ban, claiming the penalty is without "just cause." The arbitrator cannot reduce the ban to less than two years.

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