Former All-Star Jose Valverde gets 80-game doping ban

New York: Dominican right-handed relief pitcher Jose Valverde, a three-time All-Star hurler, was suspended for 80 games by Major League Baseball on Friday for a positive doping test.

Valverde, 37, tested positive for the banned performance-enhancing substance Stanozolol. He had been pitching for the top developmental club of the Washington Nationals but was released by the Nationals in July.

In 2007 with Arizona, Valverde led the major leagues with 47 saves and received an All-Star nod before being traded to Houston, where he led the National League in saves with 44.

After an injury-plagued 2009 campaign, Valverde signed with Detroit and represented the Tigers at the All-Star Game before injuries slowed him in the second half of the season.

He converted all 49 save chances he had in 2011 and had 35 saves in 2012 but blew saves twice in the playoffs and was dropped after the season.

He played briefly for Detroit in 2013 and the New York Mets in 2014.