According to media reports, Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis has been suspended 25 games for using amphetamines.
With just 17 games left in the regular season, the ban will carry over into the playoffs, unless the Orioles have a historic collapse.
Davis has struggled to make contact this year, hitting only .196 while seeing his home run total cut in half from last season. Davis had a stint on the disabled list earlier this year due to a left oblique strain and never put everything together.
The 28-year old is currently tied for the major league lead in batting strikeouts with 173.
A statement from the commissioner’s office said Davis had been suspended “after testing positive for an amphetamine in violation of Major League Baseball’s joint drug prevention and treatment program.” Davis joins Manny Ramirez, Rafael Palmeiro, Ryan Braun, and Alex Rodriguez as high-profile players who have been suspended by MLB since their stance on performance-enhancing drugs became more strict.
Baltimore has been near or at the top of the AL East standings all season long, but with Davis suspended and the O’s already without Manny Machado and Matt Wieters, the Orioles will once again defy the odds if they want to have an extended stay in the playoffs.