Former Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels Star Mo Vaughn Admits to Using HGH

Nearly two decades after his name appeared in the Mitchell Report, Mo Vaughn has admitted to using human growth hormone.

Vaughn, who played 12 MLB seasons from 1991 to 2003, told The Athletic as much in a recent interview, citing his late-career knee injuries as the reason for his HGH use.

“I was trying to do everything I could,” Vaughn said, per Ken Rosenthal. “I knew I had a bad, degenerative knee. I was shooting HGH in my knee. Whatever I could do to help the process…”

The first baseman left the Boston Red Sox in favor of the Los Angeles Angels in 1999, becoming the highest-paid player in baseball with a six-year, $80 million contract. He suffered ankle and knee injuries on Opening Day, though, when he fell into a dugout tracking down a fly ball.

While he appeared in 161 games in 2000, Vaughn missed the entire 2001 campaign. He returned with the New York Mets in 2002, but was forced into retirement early on in the 2003 season due to complications with his left knee.

The Mitchell Report was published in 2007, breaking down the scope of performance-enhancing drug use across baseball in the so-called steroid era. Vaughn's name appeared in the report, along with evidence that he had purchased HGH three separate times in 2001.

MLB did not designate human growth hormone as a banned substance until 2005.

Between 1993 and 2000, Vaughn hit .305 with a .946 OPS, averaging 35 home runs, 111 RBIs and a 3.6 WAR per season. He won AL MVP in 1995 and was a three-time All-Star with the Red Sox.

Vaughn ended his career with 1,620 hits, 328 home runs, 1,064 RBIs and a 27.1 WAR.