Report: A-Rod, Braun to be suspended

A serious storm is brewing in Major League Baseball.

Ryan Braun, Alex Rodriguez and as many as 20 other players are expected to be suspended by MLB commissioner Bud Selig shortly after next week’s All-Star break, sources told ESPN’s “Outside the Lines.”

The reported suspensions will come as a result of the ongoing investigation into the Miami-based Biogenesis clinic, which allegedly provided players with performance-enhancing drugs.

Rodriguez is set to meet with MLB on Friday, but according to ESPN, he will likely not answer any of the league's questions. Also, 10 players have already met with MLB and have refused to answer questions, according to the report.

“Outside the Lines” reports that MLB began building cases against Braun, Rodriguez and the others after Biogenesis founder Tony Bosch agreed to cooperate with investigators last month.

League investigators met with Braun on June 29, but the Brewers outfielder reportedly refused to answer any questions regarding the case. Officials have not yet met with Rodriguez, but a source told OTL that they are expected to do so sometime this week.

The report did not discuss the details of the possible suspensions, but it did state that 100-game bans might be on the table for Braun and Rodriguez despite the fact neither has served a suspension for PEDs in the past.

Braun has struggled with injury this season, appearing in just 58 games for Milwaukee. He was activated from the DL on Tuesday but is not in the Brewers' starting lineup Wednesday. Manager Ron Roenicke said Wednesday that he planned to play Braun on Thursday when the Brewers open a four-game series at Arizona before the All-Star break.

Rodriguez, who underwent arthroscopic hip surgery in January, began a minor-league rehab assignment last week and has not played for the Yankees yet this season.