Former first-round pick Mark Rogers was suspended for 25 games Friday after a second positive test for a banned stimulant.
The good news for Rogers is that the suspension kicks in immediately. The injury-plagued right-hander is on the shelf because of carpal tunnel syndrome in his throwing wrist, and he was already expected to undergo season-ending surgery, MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy reports.
Rogers, 25, was the fifth overall selection in the 2004 draft. He missed entire seasons in 2007 and ’08, but after a breakthrough 2010 that culminated in a couple of starts for the Brewers last September, he was expected to compete for a rotation spot this spring. Instead, he’s missed much of the year with a sore shoulder and now the wrist injury. He was 0-5 with a 9.34 ERA in 44 1/3 innings for three minor league teams this season.
