LOS ANGELES -- Major League Baseball suspended Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez
for 50 games on Thursday for use of a performance-enhancing drug.

Major League Baseball made an official announcement shortly after noon ET.

Ramirez, in a statement released by the Major League Baseball Players
Association, attributed the suspension to his use of a doctor-prescribed
medication and waived his right to challenge the discipline.

"Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a
medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me. Unfortunately,
the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake
is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now.
I do want to say one other thing; I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over
the past five seasons.

"I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the
Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans. LA is a special place to me and I
know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation."

According to ESPN, which cited two sources, the drug used by Ramirez was human
chorionic gonadatropin (HCG), a women's fertility drug. The drug is typically
taken by steroid users when they come off a steroid cycle in order to restart
their body's natural production of testosterone, according to the report.

Ramirez, who turns 37 on May 30, will begin the suspension with Thursday night's
Dodgers-Nationals game. He would be eligible to return around July 3, depending
on rainouts.

Ramirez -- a 12-time All-Star who immediately became the face of the Dodgers
franchise upon his acquisition last summer -- is the biggest name player to be
issued a 50-game suspension under the MLB's more stringent drug policy that was
adopted in 2006.

According to the drug policy, a player receives a 50-game suspension for a first
positive drug test, a 100-game suspension for a second positive test and a
lifetime ban for a third positive test.

All suspensions are without pay, so the suspension will cost Ramirez, who
re-signed with the Dodgers as a free agent on a two-year contract that was to
pay him $25 million this season, roughly $7.7 million.

Ramirez has been a key component in leading the Dodgers to the best record in
baseball this year. In 27 games, he is batting .348 with six home runs and 20
RBIs. He is among league leaders in slugging and on-base percentage and has
become the biggest drawing card the Dodgers have had since Fernando Valenzuela,
even recently having a portion of the left-field box seats rechristened
"Mannywood."

Wednesday night, Ramirez went 1-for-3 with a two-run double as the Dodgers set a
modern-day record with their 13th consecutive home win to open a season.

Juan Pierre would be the immediate replacement for Ramirez in left field, while
the Dodgers are expected to promote rookie Xavier Paul from Triple-A
Albuqueruque to replace Ramirez on the active roster.

Source: Ken Gurnick / MLB.com