WASHINGTON, D.C. – It was just a year ago when Vladimir Gutierrez received an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug and question marks surrounded his career.
Now, he’s set to reach one of his dreams.
Gutierrez will make his Major League debut Friday when he’s the starting pitcher against the Chicago Cubs, the club announced. The Reds needed someone to fill a spot start this week because Wade Miley is on the 10-day injured list with a left foot injury.
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“I appreciate everything the Reds have done for me,” Gutierrez said in spring training. “From the time I got signed back in 2016 up until now, even through the suspension, they’ve always been with me. I appreciate whatever the organization has done for me. To everyone that follows me, I’m still going to give 100% of my time, 100% of what I can do to put out there because I’m a big competitor. I really want to give it all my best.”
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Gutierrez, to his credit, has continued to impress coaches and front office staff since his suspension. He was dominant in the fall instructional league, which earned him a spot on the 40-man roster. He worked in the offseason with former Philadelphia Phillies minor-league pitching coach Hector Berrios to continue his development.
After completing his suspension in April, Gutierrez had a 2-0 record and 2.65 ERA in three starts at Triple-A Louisville. He struck out 21 and walked seven in 17 innings, yielding nine hits and five runs.
Gutierrez, a 25-year-old right-hander, throws a fastball in the mid-90s, and he possesses a strong curveball and changeup. He was rated as the organization’s No. 12 prospect by MLB.com and No. 14 by Baseball America.
He learned of his 80-game suspension when spring training was suspended in March 2020 after he tested positive for Stanozolol. Gutierrez called it “a huge bombshell” when spoke about it in spring training.
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“I don't really want to talk too much about what the suspension was like,” he said. “I kind of just went into my room when it came out. My family, my wife told me, 'hey, you're strong, you'll come through this. Everything will be OK, you just have to move on from this.' I worked with other people in my camp, they've told me, 'you're strong, you're really good at what you do, you just have to keep pushing forward and move on from this.’”
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