From the start, his involvement in the Biogenesis/PED scandal was described as "curious." Gio Gonzalez's name was one of seven included in the original Miami New Times' report by Tim Elfrink which linked major league players to an anti-aging clinic in Coral Gables, Florida that was accused of providing performance-enhancing drugs to professional athletes. Gonzalez's name appeared five times in the personal, hand-written notebooks of the clinic's chief Anthony Bosch.
• Further Reading: Washington Nationals' Gio Gonzalez Linked In Miami New Times' Report To Miami Clinic That Supplied Performance-Enhancing Drugs
"What's happening now," Gonzalez told reporters after his first official workout of the 2013 season in Spring Training, "is that I've cooperated with MLB and I've done everything they want and I feel strong with their program and what they're doing and at the end of the day, it's waiting on them." Six month later, the Nats' starter has reportedly been cleared of any wrongdoing in the Biogenesis/PED investigation conducted by Major League Baseball:
Colon, Grandal, Melky get no additional discipline. No violations found for #Nationals’ Gio Gonzalez. #Orioles’ Valencia. They are clear.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 5, 2013
In his public comments on the investigation, Gonzalez denied any connection to the anti-aging clinic, though his father admitted in the article that he had visited the clinic to seek weight-loss advice. Gonzalez's father was clear from the start, however, that his son had no connection to the clinic.
Gonzalez never failed a drug test and was adamant when he spoke to reporters this Spring that he had never taken performance-enhancing drugs and would eventually be cleared. "I feel very confident," Gonzalez said, "I think that at the end of the day, I've never taken performance-enhancing drugs and I never will. So, I'm actually pretty excited about this year."
The Miami New Times published images of each mention of the Nationals' left-hander's name in the notebooks of the clinic's chief. Gonzalez insisted though that he had no personal connection whatsoever to the clinic.
"[My] father already admitted that he was a patient there, a legitimate patient," Gonzalez told reporters, "And then after that, you know how my father is, if you guys have been around him, all of South Florida, all of baseball knows that my father is the most proud father in baseball, says, 'Hi,' tells everyone about his son and that's the best I can say. Other than that I have no clue why my name was on that list or on the notebook or anything."
Subsequent reports said Gonzalez had not purchased PEDs from the clinic. Washington Post writer Adam Kilgore wrote late last month that the Nationals were not worried about Gonzalez receiving any discipline:
"They have no concern Gio Gonzalez will be disciplined when MLB issues suspensions to players with ties to the Biogenesis case. The New York Post reported discipline could be meted out this week. Gonzalez is 'not in that group,' one Nationals official said."
Several of the players named in the clinic's chief's notebooks accepted 50-game suspensions today, including the Texas Rangers' Nelson Cruz, the Detroit Tigers' Jhonny Peralta, the Philadelphia Phillies' Antonio Bastardo, the New York Mets' Jordany Valdespin and the San Diego Padres' Everth Cabrera.
• Further Reading: Miami New Times' Releases Images Of Mentions Of Washington Nationals' Starter Gio Gonzalez In Notebooks Of Alleged PED Supplier