Veteran reliever Mijares suspended

Veteran Major League reliever Jose Mijares, released last week by the Reds, was suspended for 50 games Tuesday after testing positive for a banned substance.

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball said Mijares, currently a free agent, received a 50-game suspension without pay following a second positive test for a drug of abuse in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension will be effective immediately upon Mijares signing with a Major League organization.

The 30-year-old left-hander, who signed with the Reds in December, was released by Cincinnati last week after allowing three runs over 5 1/3 innings this spring. He last pitched in the Major Leagues in 2013, when he struck out 54 batters in 49 innings over 60 appearances with San Francisco after helping the Giants win the 2012 World Series.

Mijares signed with the Boston Red Sox as a Minor League free agent last February, but was cut after allowing four runs over seven innings in six Spring Training games. His last Minor League stint came during a rehab assignment in 2010 with Triple-A Rochester. Overall, he's 6-11 with a 3.23 ERA in 324 career Major League games after making his Minor League debut with the Twins in 2004.

Players are typically issued a warning following a first positive test for a drug of abuse and a suspension for a second offense. Substances considered "drugs of abuse" by Major League Baseball include cocaine, marijuana, heroin, LSD, ecstasy and other opiates. Minor Leaguers who test positive for a performance-enhancing substance are subjected to an immediate 50-game suspension.

Mijares is the 44th player to be suspended this year for violations of the Minor League drug program.