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Sports

Tejada suspended 105 games for amphetamines

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

New York, NY – Kansas City Royals infielder Miguel Tejada has been suspended 105 games after testing positive for amphetamines.

Major League Baseball's statement did not reveal further details, saying only the suspension for the former American League MVP is effective immediately.

Yahoo! Sports first reported the news and said Tejada had previously tested positive for amphetamines and was therefore subject to a 25-game penalty for a second positive test, which occurred this season. He then tested positive again, calling for an 80-game ban under baseball's drug agreement, giving him a total of 105 games.

Tejada will not appeal the penalty and said in a statement released through the MLB Players Association that he was using a substance to treat a medical condition.

"I apologize to my teammates, the Royals organization and to the Kansas City fans," Tejada's statement read. "I have a medical condition that requires medication to treat. I took that medication while re-applying for a Therapeutic Use Exemption. Under the requirements of the Joint Drug Program, I made a mistake in doing so."

Tejada has been on the disabled list since last Sunday, a day after he exited a loss to Boston with a strained right calf. He had been having a solid season with a .288 batting average, three homers and 20 runs batted in for the Royals -- first as a part-time player and then as the team's starting second baseman.

The 39-year-old veteran earned a spot on the Royals roster this spring after playing just 36 games last season with Baltimore's Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk. He hadn't played in the majors since 2011 with San Francisco.

Tejada will miss the last 41 games this season and will then be suspended for the first 64 games of 2014. However, Yahoo! Sports said he was contemplating retirement.

It's not the first drug issue for Tejada, who pleaded guilty to lying to Congress in 2005 about his knowledge of PEDs in baseball. He was never previously suspended by baseball for PED use.

Tejada broke into the majors with Oakland in 1997 and starred for the Athletics for six more years, winning the AL MVP in 2002. He signed a huge free agent contract with Baltimore before the 2004 season and played four years for the Orioles.

The Dominican Republic native then spent two seasons in Houston and split 2010 with Baltimore and San Diego before joining the Giants in 2011.

In 2,171 major league games, Tejada has 307 homers, 1,302 RBI and a .285 average. He was an All-Star six times, winning the All-Star Game MVP in 2005.