Eric Skoglund, who figured to compete for the Royals' starting rotation this season, will be suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball for testing positive for banned performance-enhancing drugs.
Skoglund, 26, made 14 appearances with 13 starts for the Royals last season, finishing with a 5.14 ERA and a 1-6 record. The left-handed pitcher made his major-league debut in 2017.
Skoglund will become the second Royals player in as many seasons to serve a suspension for PEDs. Last March, outfielder Jorge Bonifacio was suspended 80 games, the penalty for a first-time offender under MLB's testing policy.
Royals senior vice-president and general manager Dayton Moore said the organization will continue to support Skoglund.
"Unfortunately when something like this occurs I immediately think about how much work and dedication our medical staff does communicating to the players about the importance of being careful about what they put in their bodies," Moore said in a statement. "I'm appreciative that professional baseball players are tested more frequently than any professional athlete and we should all be thankful that testing is working.
"Eric is a tremendous young man and he unknowingly made a mistake and he will have to accept his suspension, work hard and be ready to go after the suspension is served. We remain proud of who Eric is as a person and will support him as an organization."
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