Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton relapsed a few months ago because of an incident that involved "at least cocaine," according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Heyman added that Hamilton turned himself in. 

It was earlier reported that Hamilton met with the Major League Baseball officials in New York on Wednesday to talk about his future and the punishment he will get for his actions, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, but it has not been reported how they will punish the outfielder. 

Just an hour after DiGiovanna's reported, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports was told by a MLB executive that the issue is not for performance-enhancing drugs, but for a "worse" issue, obviously, the relapse issue is a much more serious deal. 

Heyman also reported that Hamilton would be forced into a drug program to help him through his issues. He would be entered in as a first-time offender.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays drafted him first overall in the 1999 MLB Draft. He debuted on April 2, 2007 with the Cincinnati Reds. He went 0-for-1 as a pinch-hitting left fielder. After 90 games with the Reds, he went to the Texas Rangers and then was signed by the Angels later in his career.

He took off the 2003 season because of personal reasons. He also did not play MLB baseball from 2002 to 2006. Those reasons involved cocaine and other drug issues. He has also struggled with alcohol abuse during his life. 

Hamilton played in 89 games last season after struggling with a few injuries. He hit .263/.331/.414 with 10 home runs and 44 RBI's.

Over his eight-year career, Hamilton has been a five-time All-Star with three Silver Sluggers. His highest honor came in 2010 when the outfielder won the American League MVP. 

The slugger will make $90.2 million over the next three years in Anaheim. His original deal was made in 2013. It was a five-year deal worth $125 million. 

It is very good that Hamilton had the guts to turn himself into the MLB. It showed that he cares about himself and his actions just as much as his coaches, teamates and fans care. The 33-year-old will continue to struggle with the issue at hand, but once everything is said and done, he will feel better about himself inside and out. 

VAVEL Logo
About the author
Evan Petzold
Evan Petzold is a Detroit-based journalist with expertise in covering the Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings. A member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) and Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association (DBSA), he brings a unique skill set in reporting and broadcasting to the table.