Seattle’s Class A right‑hander Jose Zerpa received an 80‑game suspension Friday after testing positive for stanozolol under League Baseball’s drug program. The 21‑year‑old Venezuelan posted a 4‑1 record with a 4.70 ERA in ten relief outings for the Inland Empire 66ers this season. He signed in 2023 with a $10,000 bonus. The violation breaches MLB’s Drug Prevention and Treatment rules and sidelines Zerpa until August.

Zerpa becomes the seventh player disciplined this year for a drug violation across the minors, still underscoring MLB’s intensified testing regime. Recent cases include Atlanta outfielder Jurickson Profar, who received a season‑long ban for exogenous testosterone, and free agent Max Kepler, also hit with an 80‑game suspension for epitrenbolone. The penalties aim to deter performance‑enhancing drug use.

The loss of Zerpa’s fastball and slider removes a reliable bullpen arm from Seattle’s Inland Empire rotation, forcing the club to rely on less experienced relievers as the California League season heads into its crucial stretch. Manager Pat Caldwell will need to shuffle roles, while the organization faces scrutiny over its player‑development protocols as the club chases a playoff berth.