Houston Astros: Ranking them among other cheaters in MLB history

 Ranking Houston Astros vs Other Cheater in MLB history

Biogenesis Scandal

Following in the wake of the Mitchell Report, a brand-new performance-enhancing drug scandal was on the horizon. However, this time, the MLB was well-equipped to lay down the hammer at all the parties involved. Thus, the Biogenesis Scandal goes down as one of the most extreme of all-time in terms of the punishments that followed

In 2013, a former employee of Biogenesis of America, a “rejuvenation” clinic revealed that the firm was involved in illegally selling performance-enhancing drugs, most namely human growth hormones. The firm was founded by Anthony Bosch in Coral Gables, Florida, and was described as a “weight-loss” clinic, but after closing in December of 2012, their true business was revealed to the public.

After three players tested positive for PEDs in 2012, Melky Cabrera, Yasmani Grandal, and Bartolo Colon, they were linked to the clinic in a story published by the Miami New Times. Thus, an investigation was opened, and the MLB sued Bosch and his associates for their distribution of banned substances to MLB players. During the investigation, it was found that a representative of Alex Rodriguez had purchased his medical records in an attempt to suppress the evidence of his involvement in the scandal.

A-Rod subsequently became the figurehead of the scandal, receiving widespread criticism for his unwillingness to confess and take responsibility for his actions. It had long been speculated that A-Rod was a frequent user of PEDs, but this was the scandal that buried his legacy forever. He was given a year-long suspension, which was the longest for any player involved in the scandal. He eventually admitted to his use but was never able to turn his legacy around for the remainder of his career.

Others who received suspensions were Ryan Braun, Nelson Cruz, Colón, Grandal, and Cabrera, among many others. The Mitchell Report paved the way for these 13 suspensions to be handed out, and as a result, it was the most suspensions handed out simultaneously in MLB history. While it had plenty of suspensions, it still was not the biggest performance-enhancing scandal in MLB history. That belongs to the next one on our list.