PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies reliever J.C. Romero will be suspended for the first 50 games of next season after testing positive for a banned supplement, ESPN.com reported Monday night.
Romero, who earned two wins in Philadelphia's World Series victory over Tampa Bay last year, thought the supplement he took was legal because he bought it over the counter at a nutrition store in the United States, the report said.
The players' association had told major leaguers the supplement was permissible, and Romero's case went to an arbitration hearing in October, the website reported. In November, the union notified players that it had learned of supplements available at U.S. retail stores that could cause a positive test, the report said.
The arbitrator decided against Romero, who was ruled guilty of negligence, and the pitcher's suspension will be announced Tuesday by Major League Baseball, according to the report. The penalty will cost the left-hander $1.25 million in salary, ESPN.com said.
"I still cannot see where I did something wrong," Romero told the website. "There is nothing that should take away from the rings of my teammates. I didn't cheat. I tried to follow the rules."
ESPN.com said Rob Manfred, MLB's executive vice president of labor relations, didn't return a call seeking comment.
Romero was the winning pitcher in Game 3 of the World Series and the clinching Game 5 for the champion Phillies.
ESPN.com said the pitcher was tested on Aug. 26 and Sept. 19, then informed by the players' union on Sept. 23 that he had tested positive. Romero said he immediately stopped taking any supplements. He was tested again Oct. 1 and that test came back negative, according to the report.
Romero went 4-4 last season with a 2.75 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 59 innings. He appeared in 81 games and had one save.
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