The Press Box Sports Minnesota Twins lose starting SS Jorge Polanco to 80 game suspension

Minnesota Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco has been suspended by MLB for 80 games. Polanco tested positive for Stanozolol, which is a violation of the MLB Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Stanozolol is an anabolic steroid that is used mostly in veterinary medicine. Polanco released a statement regarding the matter.

“Today, I have regretfully accepted my 80-game suspension for testing positive for Stanozolol,” Polanco said. “To be clear, I did not intentionally consume this steroid. I now know, however, that my intention alone is not a good enough excuse, and I will pay the price for my error in judgment. The substance that I requested from my athletic trainer in the Dominican Republic and consented to take was a combination of vitamin B12 and an iron supplement, something that is not unusual or illegal for professional athletes to take. Unfortunately, what I was given was not that supplement, and I take full responsibility for what is in my body.”

Polanco had a rough start to his first full MLB season, but improved as the season went on. His .256/.313/.417 slash with 13 home runs and 74 RBIs may not seem appealing, but Polanco had a very hot last two months of the season. The 24 year-old went .316/.377/.553 with 10 home runs and 42 RBIs in his last 55 games. Losing him not only hurts the Twins, but it also hurts Polanco’s development. He struggled defensively, committing 18 errors and ending the season with a .964 fielding average. Being out 80 games is a huge blow to a player who was on the rise. Losing that much time may cause his progression to regress as his development was coming along nicely.

Minnesota will most likely turn to Eduardo Escobar to fill in at shortstop. Escobar hit .254 with 21 home runs last season. He’ll move to short while Miguel Sano will man the hot corner. That is if he is available to start the season. Sano is facing a possible suspension for an off-field incident. With the addition of Logan Morrison in the off-season, the Twins were hoping to put a solid team together offensively. Losing Jorge Polanco will hinder that plan, but Minnesota has enough infield depth to overcome this adversity.

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