D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants lost a relief option, and Gregory Santos will probably lose the rest of his season.
The hard-throwing righty, who debuted earlier this year but has been with Triple-A Sacramento since getting optioned in late April, tested positive for Stanozolol, a performing-enhancing substance that violates MLB’s drug policy, the league announced Tuesday.
Santos has received an 80-game suspension without pay that is effective immediately.
“The San Francisco Giants are disappointed that Gregory Santos has violated the terms of Major League Baseball’s Drug Prevention and Treatment Program resulting in his suspension,” the club said in a statement. “The Giants organization fully supports the MLB program and its efforts to eliminate performance-enhancing substances from our game.”
Santos, who has a fastball that touches triple-digits and a nasty slider, appeared in three games with the Giants before they decided he was not ready, having given up six runs (five earned) in two innings without showing much control. He has been wild with Sacramento, too, with nine walks in 15 2/3 innings, but his stuff is so good the Giants added him to their 40-man roster last offseason, ensuring no one else could pluck him in the Rule 5 draft.
While the positive test is a crushing blow to Santos, a 21-year-old from the Dominican Republic, it twistedly can solve part of a Giants issue. They are about to need a few 40-man spots with Jaylin Davis and Tyler Beede due back soon, as well as Tommy La Stella afterward. Santos now goes on the restricted list and off the 40-man roster.
