In 2013, former Detroit Tigers star pitcher Max Scherzer ripped former Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun for keeping his steroid use secret even after failing a drug test.
In October 2011, Braun underwent a test that revealed high testosterone levels in his urine sample. However, his punishment was overturned after an arbitrator determined that his urine sample had been handled improperly.
A year and a half after the incident, Braun acknowledged using steroids (August 2013). He said that he had taken a lozenge and used some cream that contained the substances.
"It was a huge mistake for which I am deeply ashamed and I compounded the situation by not admitting my mistakes immediately," he said in a statement.
Consequently, Braun's admission created outrage among fans and players. Max Scherzer was one of them. Scherzer spoke out in no uncertain terms, saying Braun's actions were "despicable."
"I thought this whole thing has been despicable on his part. When he did get caught, he never came clean. He tried to question the ability of the collector when he was caught red-handed. So that's why the whole Braun situation, there is so much player outrage toward him."
"Ryan Braun went from MVP hero to PED villain. Now he can redeem himself on the Brewers’ postseason push." - B/R Walk-Off
Braun claimed that he used banned substances to recover from an injury, which was not well received by fans and fellow players.
Ryan Braun was suspended by MLB for violating their policies
In July 2013, former Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun accepted a 65-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's Performance Enhancing Drug policy.
"1 year ago today, Ryan Braun was suspended for the rest of the season, starting the flurry of player suspensions." - High Heat Stats
Braun was suspended without pay for the remainder of the 2013 season. As a result, he lost approximately $3.25 million. Adding to that, his reputation and legacy were also damaged.