Washington Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez and Baltimore Orioles infielder Danny Valencia were the only players who were cleared by MLB despite appearing in Biogenesis’ records.
From the start, Gonzalez had a strong explanation for appearing in the records. According to the Miami New Times, Gonzalez’s name appeared in the charts five times. Gonzalez’s father’s name also appears in conjunction with the pitcher’s. Gonzalez’s father, Max, claims he went to Bosch for weight loss and that his son was never involved.
Here’s what the New Times said in their original article:
Gonzalez’s name appears five times in Bosch’s notebooks, including a specific note in the 2012 book reading, “Order 1.c.1 with Zinc/MIC/… and Aminorip. For Gio and charge $1,000.” (Aminorip is a muscle-building protein.)
Gonzalez’s father, Max, also appears on Bosch’s client lists and is often listed in conjunction with the pitcher. But reached by phone, the Hialeah resident insists his son has had no contact with Bosch.
“My son works very, very hard, and he’s as clean as apple pie,” Max Gonzalez said of his son. “I went to Tony because I needed to lose weight. A friend recommended him, and he did great work for me. But that’s it. He never met my son. Never. And if I knew he was doing these things with steroids, do you think I’d be dumb enough to go there?”
After the original Biogenesis report came out, Gonzalez defended himself over Twitter.
“I’ve never used performance enhancing drugs of any kind and I never will, I’ve never met or spoken with tony Bosch or used any substance provided by him,” Gonzalez said over his Twitter account. “Anything said to the contrary is a lie.”
Whatever Gio and Max said to MLB must have been enough, because the Nats pitcher was cleared. Gonzalez went 21-8 last year and is 7-4 this season. The 27-year-old has a career 3.64 ERA.
Valencia, who was just recalled by the Orioles from Triple-A Norfolk, did not appear in The New Times’ original report because they cut off his name. Yahoo! Sports reported that Valencia’s name appeared in the documents.
“I am shocked and troubled that my name is in any way connected to this story,” Valencia said in a February statement. “I have never met or spoken to anyone connected with Biogenesis.”
Whatever explanation he had for MLB also worked, because he too was cleared.
