"The Phillies join commissioner [Bud] Selig in thanking Senator Mitchell for his comprehensive work and the resulting report issued earlier today. We agree with the commissioner's desire to rid our game of performance-enhancing drugs and support his willingness to accept Senator Mitchell's recommendations," the Phillies said in a statement.
"Our fans' trust in the integrity of the game is of utmost importance to the Phillies. We hope that our game took a significant step forward as a result of today's developments."
But new details emerged about Dykstra, who had a relationship with the linchpin of the Mitchell Report long before he wore a Phils uniform.
According to the report, former Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski first met Dykstra when he was playing for the Mets and became "very close with Lenny."
According to Radomski, when Dykstra reported to spring training in 1989, "his increased size was noticeable." When Radomski asked him about his increased size, Dykstra admitted to taking steroids. Dykstra was traded to the Phillies later that year.
The report also states the Phillies suspected Dykstra used illegal substances and did little about it, although the culture in baseball has changed from 1993 to 2007.
Baseball did not begin testing for steroids until 2002.
Former Phillies general manager Lee Thomas told investigators he had suspicions Dykstra might have been using performance-enhancing drugs when Dykstra arrived at spring training in 1993 noticeably bigger. Thomas told Dykstra he hoped he hadn't done anything to jeopardize his health.
Dykstra told Thomas he didn't use steroids.
