Reports: 20 Major League Baseball Players May Be Suspended

"Major League Baseball will seek to suspend about 20 players connected to the Miami-area clinic at the heart of an ongoing performance-enhancing drug scandal," ESPN reports.

Players who will be suspended include "Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun, possibly within the next few weeks," ESPN adds. "If the suspensions are upheld, the performance-enhancing drug scandal would be the largest in American sports history."

USA Today followed that story with this:

"Major League Baseball has been informed by Tony Bosch, head of the South Florida wellness clinic, that he will testify about his relationship with performance-enhancing drugs and dozens of baseball players, a move that could lead to suspensions for Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun and other notable major leaguers, according to a person familiar with the negotiations."

The New York Times has a similar report:

"The head of a defunct South Florida anti-aging clinic suspected by Major League Baseball of providing a number of players with banned substances has agreed to cooperate with the sport's investigators, potentially opening the way for player suspensions, according to a person briefed on the matter."

MLB.com, the league's newssite, is covering the news this way:

"Major League Baseball could be close to a far-reaching conclusion about Biogenesis that would be both historic in scope and a clear demonstration of its commitment to ridding the game of illegal steroids and human growth hormone. ESPN's Outside the Lines reports that Anthony Bosch, founder of the Miami-area Biogenesis anti-aging clinic accused of supplying performance-enhancing substances to a number of highly recognizable players, including Ryan Braun, Melky Cabrera, Nelson Cruz and Alex Rodriguez, has agreed to cooperate in baseball's investigation. ...

" 'I've already addressed everything related to the Miami situation,' Braun said [Tuesday night]. 'I addressed it in spring training. I will not make any further statements about it. The truth has not changed. I don't know the specifics of the story that came out today, but I've already addressed it, I've already commented on it and I'll say nothing further about it.'

"Major League Baseball declined to comment Tuesday night."

Rodriguez, who has admitted using performance enhancing drugs in the past, has denied being a patient at Bosch's clinic. He has not played yet this season, due to injuries.

Cabrera, now with the Toronto Blue Jays, was suspended for 50 games last season (when he played with the San Francisco Giants) after tests showed he had elevated levels of testosterone. Of the new reports, he told USA Today that, "I don't know anything about it. ... If they suspend me again, I think that would be a harsh punishment because I already served my sentence. But it's up to them."

Cruz, a Texas Ranger, said Tuesday night that, "I cannot say anything. ... I guess it's part of the process. (The investigators are) doing their job. I don't have any other comment about it."

NPR has not independently confirmed the reports about the possible suspensions.

A related Two-Way post from January: Report: Alex Rodriguez, Melky Cabrera Among Baseball Stars Linked To Doping.