Washington, July 31 (DPA) David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, two giants of US baseball that helped end an 86-year title drought for the Boston Red Sox, tested positive for steroids in 2003.

The New York Times reported that their names are on a now-infamous list of about 100 baseball players that tested positive for performance-enhancing substances in that year.

The results of the 2003 tests - conducted by the league to find out how widespread steroid use was in the sport - were supposed to remain anonymous. The list's fate remains subject to court action between the US government and baseball's players union.

Two other names had already been leaked to US media this year: New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez and former Chicago Cubs icon Sammy Sosa.

Ramirez, who was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008, had already been tied to steroids. He tested positive for doping in May and was suspended for 50 games. But Ortiz had never been linked to performance-enhancing drugs until now.

'I'm not talking about that anymore,' Ortiz told the Times when asked about the test.