Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun has taken a massive hit to his reputation after accepting a 65-game suspension in July for violating MLB's policy on performance enhancing drugs, and on Thursday the controversial player received yet another blow.
SURG Restaurant group, a company that operates restaurants affiliated with Braun in Wisconsin, became the latest group to sever ties with the suspended slugger due to his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal, joining Nike and convenience store Kwik-Trip as brands that recently dropped the former MVP, according to ESPN.
"We've appreciated the relationship we had with Ryan over the last several years, and the entire SURG family wishes him success in the future," Michael Polaski, CEO and co-owner of SURG, said in a statement per ESPN.
The group had two restaurants in affiliation with Braun; an Italian restaurant called Ryan Braun's Graffito Restaurant and the other being 8-Twelve MVP Bar & Grill, according to ESPN, which combines Braun's jersey number with that of Aaron Rodgers, who dons the number 12 and plays at quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.
The company's deal with Rodgers will remain unchanged on the 8-Twelve restaurant, but according to ESPN, the Italian restaurant in Braun's name will only remain open until the end of the year to honor its customers and employees.
"We look forward to the future with optimism, particularly with the opportunity to introduce and rebrand two, new exciting restaurant experiences," Omar Shaikh, SURG president and co-owner, said in a statement, according to ESPN.
Braun, who won the MVP award in 2011 after batting .332 with 33 homers and 111 RBIs, failed a drug test following his MVP season but was able to get off on a technicality. After the MLB stacked up evidence against him in wake of the Biogenesis scandal, there was no getting out of it a second time for Braun, who issued a public apology recently.
"It was a huge mistake for which I am deeply ashamed and I compounded the situation by not admitting my mistakes immediately," Braun said in the statement, according to ESPN.
Braun continued, "By coming forward when I did and waiving my right to appeal any sanctions that were going to be imposed, I knew I was making the correct decision and taking the first step in the right direction. It was important to me to begin my suspension immediately to minimize the burden on everyone I had so negatively affected -- my teammates, the entire Brewers organization, the fans and all of MLB."
The apologies have continued for Braun, as ESPN reported that he's been calling up Brewers season ticket holders to issue them a personal apology for what he's done.
Braun was hitting .298 with nine homers and 38 RBIs through 61 games with Milwaukee this season. The Brewers are marred in a forgetful year outside of the controversy, as the team is currently 60-79, 21 games behind the first place Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL Central, and 18 games out of the second wildcard spot currently held by the Cincinnati Reds.
Braun may keep apologizing until he's blue in the face, but as the endorsements continue to drop, it's unclear if he'll ever be fully forgiven.
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