NEW YORK — David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, the sluggers who led Boston to a pair of World Series championships, were among the more than 100 Major League Baseball players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, according to a report in The New York Times.

The article posted on the newspaper's Web site yesterday cited lawyers involved in pending litigation over the testing results who spoke anonymously because the information is under seal by a court order.

Ortiz declined comment to the paper before the Red Sox played Oakland. The popular-but-slumping Big Papi had not been previously linked to positive tests.

Ramirez, now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, recently served a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy.

Ortiz says he was told by the baseball players' union yesterday that he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003.

"I've just been told that the report is true," Ortiz said in a statement after contacting the union. "Based on the way I lived my life I'm surprised to learn I tested positive."

Major League Baseball declined to comment on the Times' report, telling The Associated Press it didn't have the list of the 104 players who tested positive six years ago. The players' union also declined comment.

In 2004, Ortiz and Ramirez led Boston to their first World Series championship since 1918. The sluggers helped the Red Sox win another title in 2007.

The results from the 2003 tests were supposed to remain anonymous, but they later were seized by federal agents. Alex Rodriguez admitted using performance-enhancing drugs after he was linked to the 2003 list. And in June, The Times reported that Sammy Sosa also was on the 2003 list.

Ramirez was a long-established star in 2003. Ortiz, in contrast, had been a part-time player before that season.

Ortiz had never hit more than 20 homers in a season as a part-time player in Minnesota early in his career. He came to Boston as a platoon player in 2003 and had four homers by July 1, then hit 27 the rest of the year.

Ortiz followed up with seasons of 41, 47 and 54 home runs as he established himself as one of the best sluggers in the game.

Last year, he dipped to 23 home runs and his slump continued this season. He went into yesterday's game hitting .224 with only 13 homers.

"Me and David, we're like two mountains," Ramirez said. "We're going to keep playing the game, and we're going to keep doing good. We're trying to move forward; that's the key here."

Ramirez returned from his suspension this month and quickly re-established his presence in the middle of the lineup for the NL West-leading Dodgers.

TRADE

ORIOLES DEAL CLOSER SHERRILL TO DODGERS FOR TWO PROSPECTS

Adding a big arm to their bullpen, the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers acquired former All-Star closer George Sherrill from the Baltimore Orioles yesterday for two minor leaguers.

The Orioles receive third baseman Josh Bell and right-hander Steve Johnson, both of whom were at Double-A Chattanooga.

Sherrill has 20 saves for last-place Baltimore and gives Los Angeles a left-handed complement to All-Star closer Jonathan Broxton. Sherrill is expected to join the Dodgers today in Atlanta.

"It's a great move for us," Broxton said in St. Louis. "It gives us an extra arm, and he's got some innings under his belt. If some nights I need a night off or whatever, he can pick up big innings for us."

An AL All-Star last season, the 32-year-old Sherrill is 0-1 with a 2.40 ERA. He has limited opponents to a .219 batting average in 2009.

ELSEWHERE

More trades: The Chicago Cubs landed a new left-hander for their bullpen, acquiring John Grabow from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a five-player trade. Locked in a tight race atop the NL Central, the Cubs sent right-handers Kevin Hart and Jose Ascanio and minor league infielder Josh Harrison to Pittsburgh for Grabow and lefty Tom Gorzelanny. Grabow, a top situational lefty, is 3-0 with a 3.42 ERA in 45 appearances.

• The Kansas City Royals have acquired outfielder Josh Anderson from the Detroit Tigers for cash. The 26-year-old Anderson hit .242 with 16 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 74 games with Detroit this year. He was designated for assignment by the Tigers on July 24.

Diamondbacks: Arizona pitcher Brandon Webb has had another setback with his ailing right shoulder, raising the possibility the Diamondbacks ace may need surgery. "He's worked hard. It's just when it comes to throwing, it just hasn't been much different recently than it was going back to late May or June," general manager Josh Byrnes said.

Phillies: Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee will make his National League debut tonight for Philadelphia. The left-hander was acquired from Cleveland on Wednesday.