Another Astro has been caught trying to cheat. Major League Baseball announced on Monday that pitcher Francis Martes has been suspended 162 games after testing for a performance-enhancing drug called Boldenone. It is Marte’s second positive test, with his last coming nearly one year ago.
Martes, 24, was once one of the game’s top pitching prospects, ranking as high as No. 15 across baseball heading into the 2017 season, per Baseball America. He made his major league debut that year but struggled, posting a 5.80 ERA with 69 strikeouts and 31 walks over 54 1/3 innings.
Martes hasn’t found any luck since. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018, limiting him to 19 2/3 innings in the minors that year and 5 1/3 innings last year.
