Murray among three pitchers suspended

NEW YORK -- Royals right-hander Matt Murray and a pair of free-agent pitchers were suspended on Friday after each failed drug tests for banned substances.

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball said Murray and free agent righty Jared Burton were given 50-game suspensions, while embattled right-hander Derrick Bernard was slapped with a 100-game ban, his third suspension since 2014.

Murray, 26, tested positive for an amphetamine, which is considered a stimulant in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. He'll have to serve the punishment at the start of the 2016 season in April. The Royals' 10th-round pick in 2011 went 7-3 with a 3.98 ERA in 32 outings, including seven starts, for Triple-A Omaha and Double-A Northwest Arkansas last season.

Burton, 34, received a 50-game suspension without pay after a second positive test for a drug of abuse. The veteran reliever was released by Texas in June after striking out 11 batters in 10 innings over a dozen appearances for Triple-A Round Rock. A 14-year veteran, the right-hander began the 2015 season with the Yankees, appearing in four games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Class A Advanced Tampa before he was released on May 16. He was originally Oakland's eighth-round pick in 2002 and is 18-19 with a 3.44 ERA in 367 career Major League outings for the Reds and Twins from 2007-14. His ban will be effective immediately upon his signing with another Major League organization. 

Bernard, 23, received a 100-game suspension without pay after a third positive test for a drug of abuse. The 6-foot-2 right-hander was suspended for 62 games in August 2014 after testing positive for a metabolite of nandrolone and then was slapped with a 50-game ban on June 24, 2015 for a second positive test for a drug of abuse. He was released by the Mets on Jan. 8.

Bernard signed with New York on June 14, 2014 after his sophomore season at Sul Russ University in Texas. He appeared in six games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League that year, striking out eight batters and walking nine over seven innings in six relief appearances. He had two saves and held opponents to a .231 average. His 100-game suspension will be effective immediately upon his signing with another Major League club. 

Major League Baseball has suspended eight players this year for violations of the Minor League drug program after issuing 108 in 2015.