Gio Gonzalez followed Alex Rodriguez in denying the report published this morning by the Miami New Times that linked the Washington Nationals left-hander to a Miami-based clinic that reportedly supplied performance-enhancing drugs major league players. Gonzalez, 27, went 21-8 with a 2.89 ERA last season, his first with the Nationals after being acquired from the Athletics last winter. He signed a five-year, $42 million contract extension last January.
Gonzalez, first through his representatives and later on his Twitter account, issued a very strong denial: “I’ve never used performance-enhancing drugs of any kind, and I never will. I’ve never met or spoken with Tony Bosch or used any substances provided by him. Anything said to the contrary is a lie.”
Gonzlzez’ father issued the statement himself to defend his son: “My son works very, very hard, and he’s as clean as apple pie,” the elder Gonzalez said in the report. “I went to Tony Bosch, who ran the clinic] because I needed to lose weight. A friend recommended him, and he did great work for me. But that’s it. He never met my son. Never. And if I knew he was doing these things with steroids, do you think I’d be dumb enough to go there?”
Gonzalez would represent one of the more surprising players, Gonzalez is reportedly mentioned five times in the records, however lacks specific details, except a $1000.00 charge by Gonzalez’s father.
