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NEW YORK (AP) — Former big league pitcher Jared Burton has been suspended 50 games under baseball's minor league drug program following a second positive test for a drug of abuse.
The 34-year-old right-hander pitched for Cincinnati (2007-11) and Minnesota (2012-14), going 18-19 with a 3.44 ERA and 10 saves in 367 relief appearances. He spent last year with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Class A Tampa in the New York Yankees organization and Triple-A Round Rock in the Texas organization, going 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA in 16 appearances.
He is a free agent, and his suspension will start when he signs with a big league organization.
Free agent pitcher Derrick Bernard was suspended 100 games following a third positive test for a drug of abuse, his third ban under the program. Kansas City pitcher Matt Murray was banned 50 games after a positive test for Amphetamine, a banned stimulant, the commissioner's office said Friday.
Bernard, a 23-year-old right-hander, was on the roster of the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Mets when he was suspended for 62 games in August 2014 after a positive test for a metabolite of Nandrolone. He was still serving that penalty when he was banned for 50 games last June for a second positive test for a drug of abuse.
Murray, a 26-year-old righty, was 7-3 with a 3.98 ERA last year in seven starts and 25 relief appearances for Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha.
There have been eight suspensions this year under the minor league program.
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