Mets’ Jenrry Mejia says MLB conspired against him
New York Mets relief pitcher Jenrry Mejia (58) leaves the mound after relief pitching in the game against the Dodgers on Sunday, July 26, 2015 at Citi Field. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Jenrry Mejia, the disgraced Mets reliever whose use of PEDs got him banned for life, accused Major League Baseball of making up a third positive test and blasted the players’ union for not protecting his rights.
In an interview published by The New York Times on Thursday, Mejia acknowledged that he was guilty of his first positive test for anabolic steroids. But he disputed the second positive test and said baseball threatened to link him to a third positive test if he did not provide information on his steroids connections.
“I felt there was a conspiracy against me,” Mejia told the newspaper. “I feel that they were trying to find something to bring me down in my career.”
Major League Baseball issued a statement refuting Mejia’s assertions.
“We deny his allegations and no one from MLB or representing MLB has ever met with Mejia regarding any of his drug violations,” the statement read.
Mejia also charged that the players’ union “should have done more to defend me.”
Mejia’s agent and the players’ union did not comment
According to the report, Mejia has retained Vincent White, a lawyer who specializes in labor disputes.
Mejia, 26, tested positive for PEDs three times in 11 months. By rule, he can apply for reinstatement in a year. But even if his lifetime ban is lifted, the earliest he could return to the big leagues is in two years.
