Major League Baseball laid the hammer down on San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller.
The league conducted an investigation into the Padres over the trade that sent Drew Pomeranz to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza. Apparently, Preller and the Padres had been giving teams incomplete medical records, so MLB dealt the GM a 30-day suspension without pay Thursday.
Here’s MLB’s full statement, which actually doesn’t say much at all:
“Major League Baseball has completed an investigation into the July 14th transaction in which pitcher Drew Pomeranz was traded from the San Diego Padres to the Boston Red Sox. MLB’s Department of Investigations conducted the thorough review, which included interviews with relevant individuals from both Clubs. The findings were submitted to Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr.
“As a result of this matter, Major League Baseball announced today that A.J. Preller, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Padres, has received a 30-day suspension without pay.
“MLB considers the matter closed and will have no further comment.”
MLB uses one central medical system where teams are supposed to record everything from major injuries to precautionary visits to the training room so other teams can access this information for trades. However, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported Thursday, citing sources, that the Padres used a second system in order to withhold medical information from other teams to get a leg up in trade talks.
The Padres first found themselves in hot water after the July 29 trade that sent pitchers Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea to the Miami Marlins. In Rea’s first outing with the Marlins, he complained of elbow discomfort, and Miami found out the righty had been receiving treatment for weeks. MLB allowed the Marlins to send Rea back to the Padres, with San Diego returning pitching prospect Luis Castillo.
It’s unknown what MLB found in Pomeranz’s medical records, but the fact that the league closed the case suggests the situation wasn’t dire enough to send any players back.
Thumbnail photo via Jake Roth/USA TODAY Sports Images
