Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera has accepted a 50-game suspension from Major League Baseball for his role in the Biogensis scandal that has been hovering over the entire 2013 season, according to ESPN. The Padres have exactly 50 games remaining this season, meaning Cabrera will return to regular season action on opening day of the 2014 season.
The 26-year-old Nicaraguan was in the middle of his best season as a pro, and currently leads the Padres in the all important wins above replacement statistic. He has been the team’s most valuable player this season. Though they’ve been playing well since the All-Star break, this will probably be the final blow that ends all hope for a 2013 playoff appearance for the Padres.
Logan Forsythe, a former third baseman who has been playing second base and corner outfield this season, will probably get a shot to replace Cabrera and prove himself to be a starting-caliber hitter for the rest of the season. Cabrera’s absence will probably also free up even more starts for Alexi Amarista, who has played nearly every position on the team, appearing in all but two games in 2013.
Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal was also linked to the Biogensis anti-aging clinic, but was not suspended again. He served a 50-game suspension to start the season.
The Padres start the season with a 50-game suspension for their promising catcher, end it with 50 games for their promising shortstop.
— Ben Higgins (@BenHigginsSD) August 5, 2013
Between Grandal, who was as exciting a rookie as the Padres have had in a long time when he came up last season, and Cabrera, Padres fans are once again starting to turn sour on the team. Those two players served as a beacon of hope, but now many are left wondering how much of their success was a result of illegal substances.