Melky Cabrera Now Ineligible To Win NL Batting Title

In an unprecedented agreement between Major League Baseball and the Player’s Union, suspended slugger Melky Cabrera has been ruled ineligible for the National League batting title, Andrew Baggerly of CSN Bay Area reports.

Cabrera asked to be removed from contention for the batting crown, Baggerly reports, which is certainly a noble gesture after a tumultuous suspension ordeal. Cabrera, who’s serving a 50-game suspension for a failed performance enhancing drug test, currently leads the NL in average with a .346 average even though he is one plate appearance short of qualifying for the title. But an MLB rule states that Cabrera would be eligible with one hitless plate appearance automatically factored in. As per the agreement, suspended players will be excluded from this rule.

According to a release obtained by Baggerly, Cabrera has “no wish to win an award that would be tainted.” Ironically, Baggerly was the first person to bring up a rumor of Cabrera’s failed test and was quickly struck down by Cabrera’s camp. Then came the bizarre attempted cover-up of his positive test and the appeal that ensued.

With Cabrera now out of the running for the NL batting title, Pirates OF Andrew McCutchen (.339) and Giants C Buster Posey (.335) will battle it out for the title over the season’s final 10 games.