Just by looking at the stats, Manny Ramirez had a Hall of Fame career in the MLB. Peeling back the layers will quickly reveal an ugly undertone to the former Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers slugger's career.

Ramirez was twice suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs during his MLB career, putting a stain on his otherwise boisterous and triumphant time in the big leagues. New details have emerged about why and how he started obtaining these PEDs and his role in the eventual Biogenesis crackdown in 2013.

Ramirez was one of the first athletes to receive PEDs from Tony Bosch, the founder and program director of Biogenesis of America. Bosch was at the heart of the Biogenesis scandal and ended up being the “go-to guy” for baseball players and other athletes.

Ramirez was “a mess” in the winter of 2008, according to Bosch. His blood showed he had a history of steroid abuse and he said his body felt weak and tired, according to Mike Fish.

Ramirez began treatment with Bosch before the 2008 season, though the 12-time MLB All-Star says he started after that season. Nevertheless, he put together one of his best seasons, hitting .332 with 37 home runs, 121 RBIs and a 1.031 OPS. He finished fourth in National League MVP voting despite only playing 53 games for the Dodgers after being traded by the Red Sox.

Manny Ramirez is but one name linked to and suspended for PED use, but if it weren’t for a vital decision he made, the MLB may have had some chapters rewritten in the history of baseball.