Royals' Eric Skoglund on positive test: 'The most I did was eat Chick-fil-A or Chipotle'

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 17: Eric Skoglund #53 of the Kansas City Royals adjusts his cap as he stands on the mound during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on April 17, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Eric Skoglund
By Rustin Dodd
Feb 16, 2019

SURPRISE, Ariz. — In the weeks after his positive test, Royals left-hander Eric Skoglund went searching for an answer. According to Major League Baseball, he had traces of two performance-enhancing substances in his system. He claims, to this day, that he has no idea what happened.

He combed over bank statements. He thought about his meals. The drug test occurred in November, Skoglund said. He tried to retrace his steps.

Advertisement

“I was obsessed with the bank statements and trying to find if anything that I ate was unique or out of the ordinary,” Skoglund said. “The most I did was eat Chick-fil-A or Chipotle.”

Skoglund also said he had Smoothie King “like twice.” He was trying to “eat cleaner.” He ingested only protein, vitamins, the supplement Creatine and probiotics, all of which were permitted by the Royals, he said.

Yet he was still found to have two banned substances in his body. The positive tests were for two selective androgen receptor modulators — or SARMs — S-22 (Ostarine) and LGD-4033 (Ligandrol). According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, SARMs are “a class of therapeutic compounds that have similar properties to anabolic agents” but lack “steroid-related side effects.” In an interview with reporters Saturday, Skoglund said the lack of clarity on the test was “scary.”

“We have no idea, and that was the hardest part,” he said. “Something got into my body without me knowing. It was scary. It just kind of makes you think: ‘What could it have been?’ And that’s the hardest part to deal with is not knowing. I’m not a guy that’s going to cheat the game.”

Skoglund, who would have competed for a spot in the starting rotation, will miss 80 games. He will be eligible to start a minor-league rehab assignment in the weeks before his reinstatement date.

“Eric is a tremendous young man, and he unknowingly made a mistake and he will have to accept his suspension, work hard and be ready to go after the suspension is served,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said in a statement following the suspension. “We remain proud of who Eric is as a person and will support him as an organization.”

The support, Skoglund said, offered relief, a lift during a difficult offseason. When asked about his conversations with Moore, he grew emotional and left a group interview to compose himself. He later returned and finished the session with tears in his eyes.

Advertisement

“I was pretty beat inside,” he said. “It was just eating at me.”

Skoglund, a third-round pick in 2014, finished the 2018 season with a 5.14 ERA in 70 innings. He battled a sprained ulnar collateral ligament and missed three months before returning in September. He debuted in 2017 and posted a 9.50 ERA in seven appearances, including five starts, after tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings in his first career start.

He was expected to battle Heath Fillmyer and Jorge Lopez for what figured to be the last rotation spot. The Royals, however, are set to stretch out as many as 10 starters, and manager Ned Yost has been noncommittal about the number of open slots. The locks appear to be Danny Duffy, Brad Keller and Jakob Junis, while the club has publicly considered using Ian Kennedy in the bullpen. The team will also evaluate veteran Homer Bailey, who signed a minor-league contract and has an opt-out date in late March.

For Skoglund, the suspension comes at an inopportune time. As he discussed the situation Saturday, he said he and his representatives had wished to appeal and fight the suspension. But they lacked the evidence to show that the positive test had come inadvertently.

“I didn’t change anything in my offseason that I’ve done in previous offseasons,” Skoglund said. “I think the only thing I did was eat cleaner.

“We did everything (to try and fight it). We didn’t have any information. And they said: ‘Look, if we try to appeal, you’re probably not going to win.’”

Advertisement

Storen to join bullpen competition

The Royals added another arm to a crowded bullpen competition Friday. Drew Storen, a veteran reliever coming off Tommy John surgery, signed a minor-league deal that will pay him $1.25 million plus a potential $900,000 in performance bonuses if he makes the 25-man roster.

Storen, 31, missed all of last season after undergoing surgery at the end of 2017. He last pitched for the Cincinnati Reds in 2017, posting a 4.45 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings.

“He’s worth a look,” Yost said. “Throwing good, depth, minor-league contract. Let’s see where he’s at. He’s coming off surgery …

“You’re always looking for guys that are going to bounce back and be productive.”

Storen, a former first-round pick, spent his first six seasons as a productive reliever for the Washington Nationals, logging a 3.02 ERA and 95 saves. His best season came in 2014, when he posted a 1.12 ERA in 65 appearances.

(Photo: Tom Szczerbowski / Getty Images)

Get all-access to exclusive stories.

Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.

Rustin Dodd

Rustin Dodd is a features writer for The Athletic based in New York. He previously covered the Royals for The Athletic, which he joined in 2018 after 10 years at The Kansas City Star. Follow Rustin on Twitter @rustindodd