Giants' Webb suspended 80 games

Logan Webb's 2019 season was off to a promising start, but it'll be a while before he's allowed to build on his early successes.
The Giants' No. 5 prospect has been suspended 80 games without pay after testing positive for the banned performance-enhancing substance Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHCMT), the Commissioner's Office announced Wednesday. The suspension begins immediately and was handed down as part of the Major League Baseball Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, since Webb is on San Francisco's 40-man roster. 

"For the past month and a half I have tried endlessly to find the answer to why the M4 metabolite was found in my urine sample," Webb said in a released statement. "I have done research, I have talked to people who know a lot more about it than I do, and I have sent in an endless amount of supplements and products for testing that I have used over the past couple years. Unfortunately, none of those things have helped me find that answer, and the time for me to find the reason that this has happened has run out. I know in my heart that something someday will be put into the world to prove my innocence. That being said, I do not disagree with MLB's policy, and respect the drug testing system that has been put in place. I love this game and respect it too much to ever cheat it. I am heartbroken over this and I am not sure why this is happening to me, but in life some things happen for a reason and it is my job now to find that reason.
"I would like to apologize to my family, friends, teammates & the San Francisco Giants organization for the negative attention this has brought to them. The platform you guys have created for me to pursue my dreams is special to me and I want you to know I would never do anything to ruin that. Over the next couple of months and the rest of my career I will continue to work on regaining the trust and respect I've earned over the past few years with my teammates and the Giants organization. I will be back and better than ever."
The 22-year-old right-hander posted a 2.00 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 31 strikeouts and seven walks over five starts (27 innings) with Double-A Richmond to begin the season. He last pitched Monday in what may have been his best start of the season, setting a career mark with 10 strikeouts while allowing one earned run on six hits over six frames. Control was once an issue for Webb, but he's issued only two free passes in his last four starts covering 22 innings.

Webb was a fourth-round pick out of Rocklin (California) High School in 2014. He spent his first four seasons in the lower levels of the Giants system before breaking out with a 2.41 ERA and 100 strikeouts over 104 2/3 innings between Richmond and Class A Advanced San Jose last season. He was added to the 40-man roster in November. His fastball and slider are both considered plus pitches, while his lack of a solid changeup and his previous woes with control put his future role into question.
"The San Francisco Giants are disappointed that Logan Webb has violated the terms of Major League Baseball's Drug Prevention and Treatment Program resulting in his suspension," the team said in its own released statement. "The Giants organization fully supports the MLB program and its efforts to eliminate performance-enhancing substances from our game."
Webb is the 19th Minor League to be suspended for a drug violation this year.