Former Padres Infielder Tested Positive For 4 Steroids in March

The International Testing Agency announced Wednesday that former San Diego Padres shortstop Alexei Ramirez tested positive for four banned substances at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Ramirez, 44, batted once for Cuba in the WBC and struck out in his only plate appearance.

The list of substances is fairly long. The ITA said Ramirez tested positive for mesterolone, metandienone, oxandrolone and stanozolol — anabolic androgenic steroids that are included on the 2026 WADA Prohibited List.

"These substances are prohibited at all times (in- and out-of-competition) and are considered non-specified substances," the ITA announced. "They are synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroids associated with promoting rapid muscle growth, increased strength and enhanced physical performance."

Ramirez played 128 games for the Padres in 2016, the last of his nine MLB seasons.

The Cuban shortstop played his first eight seasons with the Chicago White Sox, making one American League All-Star team (2014) and earning two Silver Slugger awards.

Ramirez's positive test triggers a mandatory ban, though it's unclear if or how he will be practically affected. His WBC cameo was seen as a last-chance appearance for Ramirez, who had not played in MLB since 2016. According to his Baseball Reference page, Ramirez last played professionally in Mexico in 2018.

The brief WBC appearance allowed Ramirez to break Roger Clemens' record as the oldest player ever to play in the international tournament. His March at-bat came 20 years after Ramirez first appeared in the WBC as a 24-year-old in 2006.

Ramirez subsequently defected from Cuba and embarked on his MLB career. He retired with 1,387 career hits, 115 home runs, 143 stolen bases and a career .270/.307/.392 slash line.

The best of Ramirez's career was spent outside San Diego. After a long run on Chicago's South Side, Ramirez signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Padres with a second-year option that never came to fruition.

Ramirez, 34 at the time, was worth -1.7 bWAR during his five months in San Diego as the everyday shortstop. Known more for his glovework than his bat, Ramirez slashed .240/.275/.330 as a Padre. But his glove couldn't justify keeping him around for the full season, let alone 2017 as well.

Ramirez was ultimately designated for assignment, and signed with the Tampa Bay Rays for what proved to be the final month of his MLB career.

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