Juan Carlos Oviedo Suspended Eight Weeks by MLB

Major League Baseball has announced that Juan Carlos Oviedo, the player formerly known as Leo Nunez, will be suspended for eight weeks.  Initially, MLB said that it planned on handing Oviedo a six-week suspension but recently changed its mind.  Oviedo will not start serving his suspension until he sorts out his visa issues in the Dominican Republic and returns to the United States.

At this point it remains to be determined when Oviedo will receive a visa.  Oviedo, who’s currently residing in his native Dominican Republic, thought that he would be able to get his visa in March.  However, Oviedo was told by authorities in the DR that he would first have to complete community service.

Barry Jackson and Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald revealed the reasoning behind Major League Baseball’s increased suspension.  If Oviedo would have received his visa in March as was originally anticipated, MLB would have suspended the Marlins reliever for two weeks of spring training.  Because he’s missed the exhibition season, MLB has decided to tack these two weeks on to the initial six-week suspension.

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