Robinson Cano Suspended 80 Games After Positive Drug Test

SEATTLE, WA - Mariners slugger Robinson Cano will be suspended 80 games for using a banned drug, according to the MLB. Cano tested positive for drug Furosemide, and has agreed not to appeal the drug test.

Cano, 35, said in a statement that he was given the drug by a doctor in the Domincan Republic, where he is from, but didn't realize at the time it was banned under the MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. He claimed in the statement he was given Furosemide to treat a "medical ailment" but did not elaborate.

"Today, I decided to accept the MLB's suspension. This was the most difficult decision I have ever made in my life, but ultimately the right decision given that I do not dispute I was given the substance," Cano said in a statement posted on Twitter.

Furosemide, also known as Lasix, is a diuretic that helps eliminate water and salt from the body. The drug can be used to treat kidney disease or liver scarring. Although Furosemide has no performance enhancing qualities, the MLB believes players can use it to mask other banned substances in urine tests.

The unpaid 80-day suspension means Cano won't return to the lineup until mid-August and will be ineligible to play in the postseason. The Mariners released a statement Tuesday saying the organization would "support Robinson as he works through this challenge."

The news was first reported by Héctor Gómez, sports editor at Z101, a radio station in the Dominican Republic. The news was also reported by The Athletic reporter Ken Rosenthal.

Cano, a second baseman, was placed on the disable list Monday after fracturing his hand Sunday after being hit by a pitch.

This season, Cano has already hit 23 RBIs and four home runs. His batting average stood at .287 as of Sunday. Cano hit a career high 39 home runs in the 2016 season, topping his best hitting seasons with the New York Yankees from 2010 to 2013.

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