ARLINGTON, Texas _ The Texas Rangers will be without Jeremy Jeffress until late September after he entered a Houston facility for treatment following his arrest Friday morning on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Yahoo Sports reported that Jeffress, acquired Aug. 1 along with catcher Jonathan Lucroy from the Milwaukee Brewers, had already started treatment. The Rangers provided no details.
Jeffress, who will remain on the restricted list, issued a statement through the MLB Players Association, apologizing for his actions and pledging to speak out against impaired driving.
"Make no mistake, drinking and driving is wrong," Jeffress said. "I made a mistake that not only jeopardized my well-being but the well-being of others, and I thank God that nobody was hurt because of my mistake."
Jeffress was suspended three times while in the minor leagues after testing positive for marijuana, which he said he used to help him overcome anxiety as he deals with juvenile epilepsy.
Yahoo Sports reported that Jeffress will not be suspended by Major League Baseball even though a green lefty substance was found in his car by Dallas police during the arrest, according to an affidavit.
"I have faced and overcome much adversity in my life, some of it self-inflicted, and I try very hard, every day, to be a positive influence in the lives of my family, friends, fans and, most importantly, my daughter, Jurnee. Moving forward, I promise to do everything I can to live my life the right way, as I look to put this incident behind me."
The Rangers are standing by Jeffress, who would be eligible for the postseason.
"The Rangers commend Jeremy for seeking treatment and taking responsibility for his actions," general manager Jon Daniels said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with him as he is dealing with this situation. We ask everyone to respect his privacy as this time."
