Jonathan Papelbon is not a Fernando Tatis Jr. fan or a fan of cheaters in general.
The Boston Red Sox pitcher had strong words for Tatis after he was suspended 80 games for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy.
“This whole Tatis stuff, man, it almost enrages me,” he said over the weekend on WEEI’s The Bradfo Sho podcast. “I worked my ass off so long and so hard and did it the right way. For me, to see something like that, it hurts me so bad. I’ll tell you right now: If I was pitching, every single time I face that dude, I’m drilling him. I don’t care if I’m bringing in a run and losing the game.”
Tatis’ father, Fernando Tatis Sr., recently claimed that his son had used Trofobol to treat ringworm on his neck. Clostebol, the banned substance that Tatis tested positive for, is one of the ingredients in Trofobol.
Regardless of why Tatis used Clostebol, the substance is on the banned list for both the World Anti-Doping Agency and Major League Baseball.
Papelbon added the problem with Major League Baseball now is players aren’t allowed to “police” the game the way they used to when he toed the mound.
“That’s the problem with the game today now, is it’s changed,” Papelbon said. “You throw [at] people now, and you get suspended and all the other BS, and it’s like just let the players police the game.”
“That’s what I miss about the game now is, you look in the past, and the players were the ones who policed the game. Not the damn umpires or the coaches, or any of them. It was the players.”
“[And] that’s what the game lost,” he added.
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Papelbon pitched for the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and Washington Nationals in a 12-year career from 2005-16, accumulating 368 career saves.
