Indians’ Almonte suspended 80 games

Friday afternoon the Tribe announced outfielder Abraham Almonte will be suspended 80 games to begin the 2016 season for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Almonte, 26, was expected to start in centre field for the Indians this season, but it was confirmed on Friday he had returned a positive test for the performance-enhancing substance Boldenone. Over that span, he’s got a. 244 batting average with 10 homers, 48 RBI and 12 stolen bases.

“We’re going to have to rely on the depth that we have here and try to fill a hole that he otherwise would have filled”, Chernoff said. He batted. 264 with five home runs and 20 RBIs in 51 games – a performance that seemed to solidify his spot in Cleveland’s outfield.

Almonte played relatively well upon arriving in Cleveland late previous year in a trade with the Padres for reliever Marc Rzepczynski. “Im just trying to think and figure out what it is. “I mean that in a complimentary way”, Francona said. The 23-year-old Zimmer, a first-round pick by the Indians in 2014, has only reached the Double-A level, where he played 49 games last season.

The 80 games is standard for a player’s first offense in regards to PED use, and Almonte will have the option to appeal. Cleveland did sign Rajai Davis, who has experience at all three outfield positions, early in the offseason.

“Obviously it’s disappointing”, Chernoff said.