[Archive 2011-04-10] Baseball player Manny Ramirez retires after testing positive for performance-enhancing drug

Historical archive — originally published 2011-04-10. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

Champion Tampa Bay Rays baseball player Manny Ramirez, 38, notified the MLB on Friday that he would retire after being notified that he had tested positive for a banned perforance-enhancing drug. It was his second offense and he was facing a 100-game suspension. In 2009 as a Los Angeles Dodger, he served a 50-game suspension for violating the MLB's drug policy.

Ending a 19-year career, the twelve-time All-Star player who is considered one of the baseball's greatest hitters, won two World Series championships with the Boston Red Sox.

He batted a career average of .312, and for 13 seasons he produced more than 200 RBIs. He hit a career total of 555 home runs and 1,831 RBIs, exceeding the number of home runs and RBIs of Mickey Mantle. He ranks number 14 on the all time list. Now there may be an asterisk after his record numbers.

Ramirez's retirement coincides with the trial of another of baseball's great hitters, Barry Bonds, charged with falsely denying to a grand jury that he used performance-enhancing drugs.

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