Carlos Gomez Claims MLB Targets Specific Players For Drug Testing

Rays outfielder Carlos Gomez says he’s already been drug tested six or seven times in this still-very-young season, which is enough to lead anyone to think random drug tests are not entirely random. Gomez vented some of these frustrations to the Tampa Bay Times on Tuesday, offering up ample amounts of pee and blood to prove he’s clean. “I’m not mad,” Gomez swore, and claimed not to be even very upset—he just wants the league to concede that some players are disproportionately targeted:

“It’s not random. They pick names. Tell the truth. Tell the truth to the baseball world,” Gomez said. “You’re going to tell me this is random? It’s not 1930 anymore. People know.

“You can come any time; I’m available to do a drug test. But don’t tell people it’s random. That’s the only complaint that I have. …

“I have plenty of pee and plenty of blood. But don’t say that’s random, because it’s not. So, tell the truth. It doesn’t cost nothing.”

The comments come two weeks after Gomez alleged on a Yahoo Sports podcast that the league has been specifically targeting older and Latin players for drug testing, citing that he, along with teammates Sergio Romo and Denard Span, were all tested numerous times this year. An MLB spokesperson told Yahoo at the time that testing is random, handled by an independent program administrator, and outside of the league’s control.

Thus far, the only three players who’ve been suspended for PED use in 2018—Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco, Robinson Cano, and White Sox catcher Welington Castillo—all hail from the Dominican Republic. Two other Dominican players, Gregory Polanco and Jose Ramirez, have had to fend off bizarre PED hoaxes in the wake of those initial suspensions.