MLB to follow Biogenesis model in investigating rash of stanozolol cases

TORONTO -- Commissioner Rob Manfred says Major League Baseball is investigating four recent positive tests for the steroid stanozolol along "the same model" as its 2013 Biogenesis probe.

Injured New York Mets closer Jenrry Mejia was suspended for 80 games Saturday, the fourth player in 16 days banned under the major league drug program following a positive test for stanozolol, a steroid popular with body builders.

Mejia's discipline came after positive tests and suspensions for Minnesota pitcher Ervin Santana, Seattle pitcher David Rollins and Atlanta pitcher Arodys Vizcaino.

Speaking ahead of the Blue Jays' home opener Monday, Manfred said baseball will work to determine whether there is any link among the four cases.

"Other than the similarity of substance, I have no reason to believe right now that they're connected," Manfred said. "Having said this, whenever we have a series of tests for a single substance, we undertake an investigative effort to determine whether there's a connection and what that connection might be. If you look back, the very beginning of Biogenesis was the fact that we had a series of testosterone positives that began our investigative process, so we'll follow that same model."

Baseball's investigation into the now-closed Biogenesis of America clinic in Coral Gables, Flordia, resulted in suspensions for 14 players, including a season-long ban for New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez.

Anthony Bosch, the former owner of Biogenesis, pleaded guilty last October to conspiracy to distribute testosterone to MLB players and others, including high school athletes in South Florida. Bosch was sentenced in February to four years in federal prison.