Los Angeles Angels star outfielder Mike Trout spoke out against performance-enhancing drug users just hours before his team took the field against baseball's most infamous (alleged) PED culprit.
The 22-year-old phenom told WFAN in New York (via ESPN New York) prior to Monday's contest against the New York Yankees that players who are caught should be banned from the game for life:
"To me, personally, I think you should be out of the game if you get caught. It takes away from the guys that are working hard every day and doing it all-natural."
The Yankees employ Alex Rodriguez, of course, who is in the process of appealing a 211-game suspension imposed by Major League Baseball for his involvement with Biogenesis. Rodriguez played his first game this season on Aug. 5, the same day the suspensions were announced.
Trout added that he is pleased with MLB's effort to crack down on PED users:
"Some people just are just trying to find that extra edge. It's tough as a guy that goes out there and plays hard every day and puts [in] 110 percent effort ... to wake up, see there's a list of guys that are on the list. It's good that MLB caught them and they're moving in the right direction with suspensions and stuff."
Trout refused to answer questions about his comments when asked by reporters in the clubhouse before the game, per ESPN New York's Mike Mazzeo.
The Yankees defeated the Angels, 2-1, on Monday night. Both Trout and Rodriguez finished 1-for-3 with a single.
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