Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday that free agent reliever Troy Patton has been suspended 80 games without pay for testing positive for the use of amphetamines, a substance banned by the league. With numerous free agent relievers available on the open market this winter, finding work just became a little more difficult for Patton.
This isn’t Patton’s first offense, however. He was suspended for the first 25 games of the 2014 season after taking Adderall just four days before the end of the 2013 season. This mistake will keep the 29 year old out for at least half of the 2015 season. Patton’s suspension will begin the first regular season game in which he’s eligible to play in once he signs a new deal.
Patton did not make his first major league appearance of the 2014 season until May 1st, with the Baltimore Orioles. A couple of weeks later the Orioles traded him to the San Diego Padres for catcher Nick Hundley.
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Between the Orioles and Padres Patton made just 17 appearances, totaling 14.0 innings. He went 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA+, 4.20 FIP, and 8.4 K/9. He pitched in only eight games with the Padres before having to go on the disabled list with shoulder soreness. He’d eventually get moved from the 15-day to the 60-day DL, causing him to miss most of the season.
The team elected not to activate him from the disabled list and add him to the roster in September, instead choosing to designate him for assignment before outrighted him to Triple-A El Paso. Patton refused the assignment, instead becoming a free agent.