Angels' Tucker, free agent Payne suspended

NEW YORK -- Angels prospect Bo Tucker and former Mets Minor Leaguer Joshua Payne were handed 50-game suspensions on Friday after both tested positive for banned substances.
Tucker, 23, and Payne, 24, were cited for their second positive tests for a drug of abuse in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Payne, who was released by the Mets on Feb. 19, will have to serve his punishment upon joining another team. Tucker will miss his first 50 games of the 2019 season.
Tucker was the Angels' 12th-round selection in 2016 out of Georgia and has appeared in 21 games over two seasons. He went 0-2 with an 18.69 ERA in four games last season with the Rookie-level Arizona League Angels before being assigned to Rookie-Advanced Orem's roster in September following a stint on the 60-day disabled list. He was 3-3 with a 5.17 ERA in 17 relief outings in 2016 with the Owlz.
Payne, a 22nd-round pick out of West Texas A&M in 2017, went 4-3 with a 4.39 ERA in 28 games out of the bullpen for Class A Columbia last year. He struck out 43 and walked 10 in 41 innings. The 6-foot-6 right appeared in nine games for Rookie-level Kingsport in 2017.