Gio Gonzalez says blood, urine tests for PEDs came back negative

VIERA, Fla. - Gio Gonzalez has received word from the Major League Baseball Players Association that he has tested negative for performance-enhancing drugs. Two days after the Miami New Times listed Gonzalez among a group of players linked to Biogenesis, a Miami-area anti-aging clinic that was allegedly supplying performance-enhancing substances to players, Gonzalez had both his blood and urine tested by MLB. The Nationals left-hander, who finished third in the National League Cy Young voting in 2012, said that he was informed by the MLBPA that his samples were clean. "Got a good update for you guys," Gonzalez said in the home dugout at Space Coast Stadium just minutes ago. "Like I said before, I've never taken performance-enhancing drugs and I never will. Two days after the story broke, I was tested for blood and urine and both came out negative, like I expected. Throughout my entire career it's been like that. "I look forward to handling this with MLB and putting this behind me and looking forward for the season." Gonzalez did not take questions from reporters because of Major League Baseball's ongoing investigation into the matter. The Miami New Times found five mentions of Gonzalez's name in the records of Tony Bosch, the man running Biogenesis. One of the references to Gonzalez had the words "pink cream" listed next to his name. Pink cream is a synthetic testosterone, but Gonzalez denied purchasing or using pink cream and claimed he had no knowledge of the substance. An ESPN report this week cited two sources familiar with Bosch's operation who said that Gonzalez did not purchase performance-enhancing drugs from Biogenesis and that he was the only player listed in connection to the clinic and PEDs that did not actually purchase banned substances. Gonzalez's father, Max, has said that he went to Biogenesis in order to lose weight. Gio Gonzalez has said that his father was a legitimate patient of the clinic. Gonzalez is scheduled to make his first Grapefruit League start for the Nationals on Monday, Feb. 25. He will make three starts with the Nats before leaving to participate in the World Baseball Classic. The passed tests do not officially clear Gonzalez of any wrongdoing; MLB is still able to suspend players without a positive drug test if they feel they have enough evidence of the purchase or usage of PEDs. With that said, this is another piece of evidence bolstering Gonzalez's case. He has passed a surprise drug test and so far, there is no hard evidence linking Gonzalez to the purchase or use of performance-enhancers.