Tyler Trumbauer
Things just keep getting better for the Big Piece.
After going 1-3 with another homerun in a come-from-behind win last night against the Los Angeles Dodgers to continue his successful month of August, Howard earned another victory today as the first baseman was exonerated in a performance enhancing drug probe conducted by Major League Baseball.
Additionally, Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman was also cleared.
MLB announced on Friday that their investigation into the report by Al Jazeera that Howard was among many professional athletes who use PEDs, “did not find any violations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program by either Howard or Zimmerman,” per an ESPN.com article.
The PED allegation came from Al Jazeera back in December, but quickly lost clout as its reporter recanted the story shortly after the airing of it.
Howard stated his innocence from the beginning and also joined several other athletes, including Zimmerman, who filed a lawsuit against the now defunct “news”agency.
The St. Louis native reference that legal activity in a statement released Friday, per the aforementioned ESPN.com article.
“The accusations from Al Jazeera came out of nowhere, and I was shocked and outraged by their false claims,” Howard said in a statement released shortly after MLB’s announcement. “I welcomed the investigation by Major League Baseball as an opportunity to clear my name. I was fully cooperative and transparent in the process, and MLB’s findings validate what I have said publicly. I am glad that this part of the process has concluded, and I look forward to holding the responsible people accountable for these false and defamatory claims in my ongoing litigation against Al Jazeera and its reporters.”
Howard may never want August to end.