It’s been a busy day in terms of Cincinnati Reds news, and somehow Joey Votto signing with the Toronto Blue Jays was only the biggest Reds-related news for about two hours today. Earlier this afternoon the club’s top prospect, Noelvi Marte, was suspended for 80 games after he tested positive for Boldenone – a performance enhancing drug.
After a hamstring injury suffered back in November while playing in the Dominican Winter League, Noelvi Marte’s recovery took long enough that he didn’t begin spring training on time. Now he’s going to also get a late start to the regular season, but this one is going to be a lot later than a week-and-a-half. The 80-game suspension will begin when the regular season starts for Cincinnati and the earliest date in which he can return to the big leagues is June 26th.
Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting that Marte can begin what’s considered to be a rehab assignment in the minor leagues as early as June 6th. With rehab limits being 20 days for position players, that lines up. While Marte is ineligible to play in games, he is able to participate at the Reds spring training complex and participate in workouts there once the Major League Baseball season begins.
This is certainly a blow to the Reds, who were likely going to have Noelvi Marte as their starting third baseman a majority of time (he was likely going to get a few starts here or there at shortstop and as the team’s designated hitter). Now they’ll be without him for at least half of the season. Fortunately they have depth that will help them deal with that. Between holding onto Jonathan India after what felt like at least a luke-warm trade market for him, and signing Jeimer Candelario in the winter to go along with Christian Encarnacion-Strand – Cincinnati has multiple viable options to fill in at third base.