MLB suspends Padres GM Preller 30 days over Pomeranz trade
BOSTON — Major League Baseball suspended Padres general manager A.J. Preller for 30 days without pay on Thursday, hitting the San Diego executive with an unprecedented punishment for failing to disclose medical information when pitcher Drew Pomeranz was traded to the Boston Red Sox in July.
The commissioner’s office announced the discipline on Thursday without elaborating on what Preller did wrong. But in a statement issued by the Padres, Peller said he accepted full responsibility for “issues related to the oversight of our medical administration and record keeping.”
“I want to emphasize that there was no malicious intent on the part of me, or anyone on my staff, to conceal information or disregard MLB’s recommended guidelines,” Preller’s statement said. “This has been a learning process for me. I will serve my punishment and look forward to being back on the job in 30 days.”
While baseball has suspended owners, including George Steinbrenner of the Yankees and Marge Schott of the Reds, for transgressions ranging from racism to gambling and other skullduggery deemed not in the best interest of baseball, it was believed to be the first time a general manager had been benched for hiding medical information from a trade partner.