Ryan Braun, the Milwaukee Brewers left fielder who lives in Malibu in the offseason, has been suspended for the rest of the 2013 Major League Baseball season without pay for “violations of the Basic Agreement and its Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program,” a statement released by MLB on Monday said.
Braun’s 65-game suspension began immediately and includes any possible postseason games. Braun will not appeal MLB’s decision and in turn will forfeit a total of $3.25 million for the remainder of the 2013 season.
“As I have acknowledged in the past, I am not perfect. I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions,” Braun said in a statement after the suspension. “This situation has taken a toll on me and my entire family, and it has been a distraction to my teammates and the Brewers organization.”
Braun apologized to his fans, family and teammates.
Braun, who grew up in the San Fernando Valley and attended Granada Hills High School, was voted the National League Rookie of the Year in 2007 and the NL MVP in 2011.
In December 2011, Braun tested positive for high levels of testosterone, including synthetic testosterone, after being awarded MVP.
Braun’s attorney, David Cornwell, told the Malibu Times Magazine in 2012, “If anybody says that [Braun] digested a performance-enhancing drug, they are wrong.”
In 2012, the 29-year-old was the first player to successfully appeal a 50-game suspension after a positive test was overturned. Braun’s 2013 suspension will be considered his first offense. Braun was hitting .298 with nine home runs and 38 RBIs before his suspension.