Catcher in report banned

Teagarden hit with 80-game suspension

Former major-league catcher Taylor Teagarden, among the athletes accused of using performance-enhancing drugs in a December report by Al Jazeera, was suspended for 80 games Friday by Major League Baseball.

In its announcement, MLB said Teagarden violated the big-league drug program but did not specify the nature of the violation.

Al Jazeera accused several high-profile athletes of using performance-enhancing drugs, among them Philadelphia first baseman Ryan Howard, Washington first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and then Denver quarterback Peyton Manning. Manning denied the allegations, and William Burck, a lawyer for Howard and Zimmerman, called the charges “outright lies.”

Al Jazeera broadcast video of Teagarden talking about taking a banned substance called Delta-2.

Greg Bouris, a spokesman for the Major League Baseball Players Association, said the union had no comment. Teagarden’s lawyer, David Cornwell, did not respond to an email seeking comment.

The 32-year-old Teagarden played eight games with the Chicago Cubs last year and spent the majority of the season at Class AAA Iowa. He became a free agent in October when he refused an outright assignment to the minors.

Mets keep Henderson: Former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jim Henderson made the New York Mets’ openingday roster.

Henderson has a 1.69 ERA in 102⁄ innings during spring training. He allowed eight hits and three runs while striking out 13 in 12 games. A 33-year-old right-hander, Henderson went 8-9 with a 3.44 ERA in 111 relief appearances with Milwaukee from 2012-’14.

He had shoulder surgery in August 2014 and pitched in the minors last season.

“I’m happy with what I accomplished this spring,” Henderson said. “I told myself I would play somewhere.”