Melky Cabrera headed to Jays

When baseball suspended Melky Cabrera for elevated testosterone in mid-August, many assumed he would receive only a one-year deal as a free agent.

The Jays appealed to Cabrera, according to a source, because of the strength of their lineup and the likelihood that he will be a story, but not the story, with the team.

The Jays likely will use Cabrera as their starting left fielder, with Colby Rasmus in center and Jose Bautista in right.

But his positive test for testosterone marked a violation of baseball’s drug policy, and raised questions about the legitimacy of his stellar performances for both the Giants and the Kansas City Royals the year before.

After Cabrera’s positive test last summer, an associate of the slugger purchased a website and attempted to create evidence to support a claim that the outfielder inadvertently took the substance that caused a positive drug test, Major League Baseball said.

Baseball officials uncovered the scheme as Cabrera prepared his case to challenge the test.

Major League Baseball subsequently banned Cabrera associate Juan Nunez from all team clubhouses.

Nunez, a consultant for Cabrera’s agents, took responsibility for fabricating the website.