Ex-Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon says he used Toradol, a legal anti-inflammatory drug but with side affects that has raised concerns about its use in professional sports, throughout his career in Boston, and that the Phillies stopped him from using it when he signed with them last year.
In a story by ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes, Papelbon said he "used it based on how I felt. The days I felt bad, I took it. Maybe once a month.
"It made me feel better. You had to get it about 30 minutes before a game, and it made me feel pretty damn good. It only lasted about four hours maximum."
When he joined the Phillies, Papelbon said: "They told me, 'We don't do that here.' That kind of surprised me. I haven't had a single Toradol shot since."
Papelbon defended the Red Sox for its use, saying: "There are so many organizations that do it. Not only baseball, but every sport. Football, basketball, hockey. It's not just the Red Sox."
A Red Sox official told Edes that the team is reviewing its policy on the use of the drug. Clay Buchholz said use of Toradol may have contributed to the esophagitis that sidelined him for 20 games last year.