NEW YORK, April 3 (UPI) -- Tampa Bay outfielder Alex Sanchez Sunday became the first player to be suspended under baseball's new drug policy.
Major League Baseball said Sanchez, 28, has been suspended for 10 days, effective April 4, for violating the league's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
The league did not say what drug Sanchez was suspended for using.
The Tampa Tribune reported Sanchez was not expecting to be suspended. He told the newspaper he only uses multivitamins and milkshakes to build his energ and blamed the positive test on something he bought over the counter.
"I'm going to fight it, because I've never taken steroids or anything like that," Sanchez said.
Sanchez, a reserve outfielder, joined Tampa Bay Saturday. He was released by the Detroit Tigers in spring training.
Sanchez hit .322 games in 79 games with Detroit last season. He a career .292 average in 365 career games with Milwaukee and the Tigers.
