Major League Baseball

Manfred: Science might be behind increase in drug positives

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:35 p.m. ET

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NEW YORK (AP) Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says improved science could be a reason behind the increase in positive drug tests.

There have been eight suspensions this year under the big league program caused by positive tests for performance-enhancing drugs, one more than in all of 2015. There were just two in 2014 and none in 2013.

Speaking Thursday after a quarterly owners' meeting, Manfred says ''the windows of detection on certain substances have been lengthened. ... It's just science getting better. That may be one on explanation for what we're seeing.''

Manfred also says speculation certain players may be using PEDs ''is just distasteful'' unless they have violated the drug program.

He says diversity among managers ''is a really difficult issue for us.'' Following Fredi Gonzalez's firing by Atlanta this week, Washington's Dusty Baker and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Dave Roberts are the only minority managers.

Manfred says ''you're going to have periods of time where these numbers ebb and flow.''

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