Updated: Rios Caught Doping
Updated again, June 28: CNNSI reports that the banned substance was hydroxystanozorol.
Updates, June 28:Rios was indeed released by Yakult (link in English). Sanspo has published an interview with Rios, in which he apologized and admitted getting an supplement injection, but says he didn’t know it was a banned substance. The substance he tested positive for still hasn’t been released, so
Bobby Valentine commented on the situation: “Rather than randomly selecting two players (to test), we should test everyone. Testing everyone would be fair. If there are violations, of course it would be fine to penalize them” (Edit, June 29: corrected translation).
According to this report in Sanspo, Yakult Swallows starter Daniel Rios has been discovered to be using banned substances and suspended for one year. The article doesn’t mention what Rios was caught using, but Rios is almost certainly finished in Japan. He had already been dropped from the Swallows’ active roster for performance reasons earlier in the month.
I don’t know much about Rios, except that he had several successful seasons in Korea. I think he might have had one or two seasons as the KBO’s top pitcher, but I’ll have to look that up. I do remember that he turned down a better offer from his team in Korea to join Yakult this season. I think his goal had been to prove himself on a one-year deal, then go for a bigger contract.
Rios is the third player in NPB history to fail a drug test. Giants’ infielder Luis Gonzales failed earlier this year and was immediately released. Former Yakult Pitcher Rick Guttormson’s use of Rogaine (or something similar) triggered a failed drug test as few years ago as it’s considered a masking agent. This was before the current doping rules were in place and he got away with a brief suspension. Guttormson still pitches in Japan, now with Softbank.
Hanshin’s Jeff Williams and Orix’s Alex Cabrera were named in the notorious Mitchell Report, but neither has ever failed a drug test. Hanshin’s management has notably come out in support of Williams.
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