Andy Pettitte: Andy Pettitte's 2007 take on PED use: "I tried HGH. Though it was not against baseball rules, I was not comfortable with what I was doing"

Andy Pettitte's 2007 take on PED use: "I tried HGH. Though it was not against baseball rules, I was not comfortable with what I was doing"

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 23: Former pitcher Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees speaks to the crowd after having his number retired before the game against the Cleveland Indiand at Yankee Stadium on August 23, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images); TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 25: Andy Pettite #46 of the New York Yankees poses for a photo during Spring Training Media Photo Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 25, 2010 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

In December 2007, MLB legend and 2023 Hall of Fame candidate Andy Pettitte finally decided to come clean about his PED use.

Andy admitted to taking HGH in 2002 to heal from an elbow injury after being identified as one of the 86 players in the 2007 Mitchell Report.

In a statement issued by his agent, Randy Hendricks, Andy wrote:

"In 2002 I was injured. I had heard that human growth hormones could promote faster healing for my elbow. I felt an obligation to get back to my team as soon as possible.

"For this reason, and only this reason, for two days I tried human growth hormone. Though it was not against baseball rules, I was not comfortable with what I was doing, so I stopped.

"This is it — two days out of my life; two days out of my entire career, when I was injured and on the disabled list. I wasn’t looking for an edge. I was looking to heal.

". . . If I have let down people that care about me, I am sorry, but I hope that you will listen to me carefully and understand that two days of perhaps bad judgment should not ruin a lifetime of hard work and dedication.

"I have tried to do things the right way my entire life, and, again, ask that you put those two days in the proper context. People that know me will know that what I say is true."

Expand Tweet

"Pettitte admits briefly using HGH during 2002" - Boston Herald

Among the 86 players in the 2007 Mitchell Report, Andy Pettitte was one of the most high-profile players to receive massive coverage for getting involved in the PED scandal.

The New York Yankees retired Andy Pettitte's number 46 in 2015

In 2015, the New York Yankees retired Andy Pettitte's 46th jersey. He became the first MLB player to have his number retired after admitting to using PEDs.

Expand Tweet

"Andy Pettitte becomes the first player who admitted to PED use to have his number retired." - ESPN

During his tenure with the Yankees, he helped the team win five World Series championships (1996, 1998–2000, 2009),

Edited by Arnav Kholkar