Phillies left-hander Daniel Stumpf suspended 80 games for PEDs

By: Matt Rappa, managing editor

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Daniel Stumpf has been suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball after testing positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a performance-enhancing drug, according to Ken Rosenthal. Left-hander Elvis Araujo has been recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill the void on the roster.

Stumpf, 25, was one of two selections by the Phillies this offseason in the Rule 5 draft. The Humble, Texas, native was plucked from the 2015 World Champion Kansas City Royals, a team that drafted him in the ninth round of the 2012 amateur draft.

"The Phillies support Major League Baseball's Joint Prevention and Treatment Program and are disappointed to hear today's news of Daniel's violation," said the team in an issued statement.

Stumpf retired just two batters in three appearances on the mound this season with the Phillies. He surrendered three earned runs on a hit and two walks, yielding a 40.50 ERA. All three runs were given up in his Major League debut, April 7 against the Cincinnati Reds on a three-run blast by third baseman Eugenio Suarez.

Because Stumpf was suspended and placed on the restricted list, the Phillies can replace him on the 25-man roster without having to return him to the Royals. He will need to remain active on the Phillies' Major League roster for a total of at least 90 days this season, however, for that to hold true.

Stumpf is the first suspended Phillies player on the Major League roster since Jonathan Papelbon in September 2014 (seven games), and the first for PEDs since Antonio Bastardo in August 2013 (50 games).

Araujo joins southpaws James Russell and Brett Oberholtzer as the third left-handed reliever in the Phillies' bullpen. Stumpf will return Sunday, July 10, against the Colorado Rockies, the Phillies' final game before the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game two days later in San Diego, California.