Apr 29, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; A lone baseball sits in a basket prior to a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Tampa Bay Rays prospect Josh Sale has been suspended for a third time.
Sale, who was a first round draft pick in 2010, has been suspended 50 games after failing a drug test.
The 23-year-old was also suspended for 50 games in 2012 after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs and in 2013 the team suspended him indefinitely after he posted a Facebook status about a strip club.
#Rays Maddon on suspended Sale: "Nobody to blame but himself at this point."
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) August 12, 2014
Sale was taken 17th overall out of Bishop Blanchet HS in Seattle and received a $1.62 million signing bonus.
In 224 minor league career games, where’s he never played higher than Class A with Charlotte, Sale has a .238/.332/.381 slash line. He has 18 home runs and 105 RBIs.
Kevin Kiermaier, who was a 2010 draft pick too, had some strong comments regarding Sale’s latest suspension.
#Rays Kiermaier on latest suspension of Sale (both '10 draft picks): "You control your own destiny and he hasn't made many good decisions."
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) August 12, 2014
More from #Rays Kiermaier on suspended Sale: "For him, 3rd offense, anyone who feels bad for him, I don't know why. It's just foolishness.''
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) August 12, 2014
Stone Crabs manager Jared Sandberg weighed in with his thoughts on Sale’s suspension which you can read here.
In 2014 Sale was hitting .238 with four homers and 46 RBIs in 90 games.