Major League Baseball announced on Thursday that the former St. Louis Cardinals, Carlos Martinez, has accepted an 85-match ban for violating the league’s General Policy on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse.
The union did not disclose what part of the policy Martinez violated the policy, but it is one of the harshest punishments the federation has imposed since 2015 when it was imposed.
The longest suspension was given to pitcher Trevor Bauer in April when the league suspended him for two seasons (324 games) after he faced sexual assault allegations. Sam Dyson and Jose Torres were each given 100-match bans. Hector Olivera (82 games), Domingo German (81 games) and Roberto Osuna (75 games) are the only players with a 70-match ban under the policy.
Martinez’s suspension will take effect June 19 and will also require him to enter a treatment program. It continues what has fallen dramatically from grace to a pitcher who was once a rising star in the league.
Martinez won an All-Star twice (2015 and 2017) with the Cardinals in his nine years running with the team, earning more than $52 million with the St. Louis. He was limited to just 16 starts a year ago, ending two unproductive years from the 2020-2021 season.
He opened the 2022 season in the Boston Red Sox organization but was cut after just two weeks. At that time he was issued an order to suspend 80 games after testing positive for banned substances.
Given his injury problems over the past two years, struggles on the pitch when he’s on the pitch and now two significant suspensions, he is facing a worthy uphill battle. since having to play in a Major League Baseball game again.
