MLB toughens drug agreement provisions

Baseball players suspended during the season for a performance-enhancing drug violation will not be eligible for that year’s postseason under changes to the sport’s drug agreement announced Friday.

In the most significant toughening to the drug rules in eight years, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association said the penalty will increase from 50 games to 80 for a first testing violation and from 100 games to a season-long 162 for a second. A third violation remains a lifetime ban.

Baseball started testing with penalties in 2004, established a 10-day suspension for a first testing violation in 2005 and increased the discipline to 50 games in 2006.

While there were two-to-four major league suspensions annually from 2008-11, the number increased to12 in 2012 andKershaw in his $215 million, seven-year deal in January. The total commitment tops the record set by New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez with a $275 million, 10-year agreement in 2007.

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