Ryan Braun press conference notes and quotes - MLB

Some notes and quotes from Ryan Braun’s press conference this afternoon:

• He thanked fans who “withheld judgements as I respected the confidentially of this case.”

• “I tried to respect this process even though the confidentially was breached early on.”

• “If I had done this intentionally or unintentionally I’d have been the first one to admit it. I truly believe this substance never entered my body.”

• “It hasn’t been easy. Lots of times I wanted to come out and tell the entire story, attack everybody like I’ve been attacked. My name was dragged through the mud. But at the end of the day I recognized what was best for the game of baseball.”

• “I truly believe that everything in life happens for a reason and I learned a long time ago to stop questioning what goes on in life. I’ve yet to understand the reason for this, but I don’t question that.”

• “Today is for anyone who has been wrongly accused and everyone who stood up for what’s right. It’s about future players and the game of baseball.”

• “Never been a personal medical issue, never had an STD. Many of the erroneous stories reported by the network continue to live on, which is disappointing.”

• “I will continue to take the high road. We won because the truth was on my side. I was a victim of a process that completely broke down and failed as it was applied to me in this case. Today’s about making sure this never happens to anyone else who plays this game.”

• “The system as it was applied to me in this case was fatally flawed.”

• Braun revealed that he was first made aware of test result on October 19, which was during the playoffs.

• “At the end of the day, I know the truth. My friends, family, teammates, and the Brewers organization know the truth.”

• “We spoke to biochemists and scients, and asked them how difficult it would be for someone to taint the sample. They said, if they were motivated, it would be extremely easy.”

• “Ultimately, as I sit here today, the system worked because I was innocent and I was able to prove my innocence.”

• Braun is “considering all my legal options.”

CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed pitcher Noah Syndergaard on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a blister on the index finger of his right throwing hand.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the timetable for Syndergaard’s return is unknown despite the 15-day designation.

“The physical, the mental, the emotional part, as he’s talked about, has taken a toll on him,” Roberts said. “So, the ability to get him away from this. He left today to go back to Los Angeles to kind of get back to normalcy.”

Syndergaard allowed six runs and seven hits in three innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, raising his ERA to 7.16.

Syndergaard (1-4) has surrendered at least five runs in three straight starts.

Syndergaard has been trying to return to the player he was before Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the better part of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Roberts said Syndergaard will need at least “a few weeks” to both heal and get away from baseball and “reset.”

“I think searching and not being comfortable with where he was at in the moment is certainly evident in performance,” Roberts said. “So hopefully this time away will provide more clarity on who he is right now as a pitcher.

“Trying to perform when you’re searching at this level is extremely difficult. I applaud him from not running from it, but it’s still very difficult. Hopefully it can be a tale of two stories, two halves when he does come back.”