No More Multiyear Deals for Padres

The San Diego Padres, responding to the cancellation of drug-testing clauses in players’ contracts, will no longer offer multiyear contracts, team owner Joan Kroc and President Ballard Smith say.

A July 30 ruling by arbitrator Tom Roberts said that drug-testing clauses in the contracts of major league players were unenforceable. Roberts was fired by baseball owners shortly after delivering the opinion.

Kroc and Smith, denied the power to include mandatory testing in player contracts, said Tuesday night that they feared they could get stuck paying off a guaranteed, multiyear contract for a player who might become involved in drugs.