The Philadelphia Phillies Triple-A affiliate will be without one of their most-productive pitchers for a while. Starter Alec Asher of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs has been suspended 80 games for a positive PED test.
#Phillies P Alec Asher suspended 80 games (testosterone-related PED).
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) June 16, 2016
The Phillies released a statement supporting the discipline.
#Phillies have issued the following statement in response to Major League Baseball's suspension of Alec Asher. pic.twitter.com/HcUXALTwRP
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 16, 2016
In addition to impacting the Minor League team, this has potential to hurt Philadelphia as well. He was called up at the end of August last season, posting a gaudy 9.31 ERA and 1.79 WHIP in seven starts over 29 innings.
Despite that, the 2016 season was going very well for Asher. Between the IronPigs and Double-A Reading, he posted a 2.30 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in eight starts and 54.2 innings pitched.
Normally, that is the kind of production that would make someone a candidate to get called up if a player on the big club got hurt or became ineffective.
Obviously that will not happen now. With the suspension, it seems highly unlikely that Asher will even be considered for a September call up when the rosters expand.