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Tampa Bay Rays' right-hander Alex Colome has been suspended for the first 50 games of the season due to a violation of MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, the league has announced. Colome reportedly tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid mainly used to treat horses.
The 25-year-old was currently slated to open the season in Triple-A, where he would've been one of the first names called up were a need to arise in Tampa Bay's rotation.
Colome was recently ranked as the third best prospect in the Rays' farm system by Baseball Prospectus, citing the potential for four plus pitches, though he suffers from inconsistent command. Possessing a career 3.59 minor league ERA and 2.48 K/BB, Colome made his major league debut for the Rays early last season, allowing just four earned runs and striking out 12 in 16 innings pitched before succumbing to an elbow strain that cost him the remainder of the season.
Colome is just the second player to be suspended for PED use this year, following you know who.