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Noelvi Marte Officially Rejoins Cincinnati Reds, Reinstated From PED Suspension

Cincinnati Reds infielder Noelvi Marte has officially served his 80-game suspension for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drug policy, meaning he is eligible to be in the lineup against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday.
Sam Connon|
Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024: Cincinnati Reds infielder Noelvi Marte stands for a portrait at the team's spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz.
Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024: Cincinnati Reds infielder Noelvi Marte stands for a portrait at the team's spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz. | Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

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Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds have activated infielder Noelvi Marte from the suspended list, the team announced Thursday afternoon.

Marte was suspended 80 games for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drug policy in March. He tested positive for Boldenone during Spring Training, knocking Cincinnati's No. 1 prospect out for the first half of the 2024 regular season.

The Reds welcomed Marte back from a rehab assignment on Wednesday, even though he wasn't eligible to rejoin the roster until Thursday. To make room for Marte, Cincinnati had to option infielder Livan Soto to Triple-A Louisville and transfer right-handed pitcher Emilio Pagan to the 60-day injured list.

Marte made his MLB debut in 2023, batting .316 with three home runs, 15 RBI, six stolen bases, an .822 OPS and a 0.8 WAR in 35 appearances. He is a .278 hitter with an .817 OPS in his minor league career, averaging 23 home runs, 99 RBI and 34 stolen bases per 162 games.

During his rehab stint with Triple-A Louisville this month, however, Marte hit just .151 with two RBI, a stolen base and a .321 OPS across 12 games.

Even with Marte back on the active roster, the Reds are still without two of their other top prospects who shined in the big leagues last season.

Infielder Matt McLain, who finished fifth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023, has been sidelined undergoing shoulder surgery in March. Infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand went down with a right ulnar styloid fracture in May and is now scheduled to undergo season-ending wrist surgery on July 11.

Marte's return could help ease the pain of McLain and Encarnacion-Strand's respective absences, or at least that is what Reds fans are hoping for. Cincinnati lost eight of their last 11 games to fall to 37-43 on the season.

The Reds will try to turn those tides starting Thursday in their series-opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. First pitch is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. ET.

Marte is starting at third base and batting sixth in the lineup.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer covering baseball for “Fastball on SI.’’ He previously covered UCLA Athletics for On SI’s All Bruins site, and is a UCLA graduate, with his work there as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for On SI’s New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Sam lives in Boston.

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