Pittsburgh Pirates: bad start to the spring for Pablo Reyes
Pittsburgh Pirates utility man Pablo Reyes popped with suspension after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs banned by Major League Baseball.
The third PED related suspension was handed down when the Pittsburgh Pirates utility man Pablo Reyes received 80 games after testing positive for Boldenone. The first such suspension was given to Colorado Rockies pitcher Justin Lawrence and Houston Astros pitcher Francis Martes was popped earlier this week.
Signed out of the Dominican Republic at age 18, Reyes worked his way up the Pirates minor league system finally getting a cup of coffee with the big-league team in 2018 as a September call up once rosters expanded. In limited playing time, he hit a modest .293.
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Last year Reyes made the team out of spring training after leading the Pirates in hits and stroking an average over .300. Reyes appeared in 71 games, mostly as a pinch hitter or late-inning defensive replacement.
He struggled with the stick and was hitting just .128 when he was demoted mid-season. After being recalled for the final two months of the season he finished the season hitting .203.
Where Reyes lacks at the plate he is a more than capable fielder. He can play all outfield positions and has lined up everywhere on the infield outside of first base. Reyes is not on the Pirates 40-man roster and was not in camp as a non-roster invitee.
He was destined to begin the year at Triple-A but now will sit out the first half of the season serving his suspension.
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Without a job for the first part of the season and at age 26, the Pirates may have seen enough of Reyes. He may be able to stick with the ball club as organizational depth or he may have to try to latch on with another team. His hope of getting back to the leagues top-level have taken a serious hit with this turn of events.