The 27-year-old San Diego Padres outfielder was suspended for 25 games without pay on Wednesday. (Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports)
CHICAGO — Cameron Maybin admitted to use of amphetamines that led to a suspension by Major League Baseball, but said use resulted from treatment for a medical condition and not an attempt to gain competitive advantage.
The 27-year-old San Diego Padres outfielder was suspended for 25 games without pay on Wednesday.
The suspension, announced in a terse two-paragraph statement Wednesday, was effective immediately. Maybin is the first major league player this season to receive a suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.
It was his second positive test result of the season.
“Our club fully supports Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program,” Padres manager Bud Black said in a statement. “Cameron has accepted full responsibility for his violation and apologized to his teammates and coaches. We are all looking forward to his return.”
Maybin was batting .247 with a home run and nine RBIs in 62 games. He last played on Sunday, entering as a ninth inning pinch runner in a 2-1 victory over the Mets.
In a statement issued through the Major League Players Association, Maybin accepted full responsibility and would not challenge the suspension.
“I have been undergoing treatment for several years for a medical condition, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), for which I previously had a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE),” he said.
“Unfortunately, in my attempts to switch back to a medicine that had been previously OKed, I neglected to follow all the rules and as a result I tested positive. I want to assure everyone that this was a genuine effort to treat my condition and I was not trying in any way to gain an advantage in my baseball career.”
Maybin’s projected return would be Aug. 19 when the Padres open a three-game series at the Dodgers.
