Dee Gordon issues statement after 80-game suspension from MLB

Miami Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon is apologizing for a postive test that led to his 80-game suspension for PED usage.

It was a moment where the Miami Marlins went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. After a 5-3 victory Thursday night over the Los Angeles Dodgers to complete a four-game sweep, the team lost one of their best players for over half of the games left in the 2016 season.

Second baseman Dee Gordon, who had a RBI in Thursday’s win, was informed that he will miss the next 80 games after being suspended by Major League Baseball after a positive test for PED usage.

Gordon, who was the batting champion in the National League during the 2015 season, issued a statement through the MLBPA apologizing for his actions, saying he feels he let his Marlins teammates down:

"Though I did not do so knowingly, I have been informed that test results showed I ingested something that contained prohibited substances. The hardest part about this is feeling that I have let down my teammates, the organization, and the fans. I have been careful to avoid products that could contain something banned by MLB and the 20-plus tests that I have taken and passed throughout my career prove this. I made a mistake and I accept the consequences."

In addition to being the top hitter in the NL last season, Gordon was also named to the All-Star team and was the winner of both the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards. Marlins manager Don Mattingly and team president David Samson said they will stand by Gordon, but were still disappointed:

In his sixth season of MLB play, Gordon is a career .294 hitter with 564 hits and 194 stolen bases, becoming the first player since 1949 to lead the National League in batting average and stolen bases last year.

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