NEW YORK — An associate of San Francisco Giants All-Star Melky Cabrera 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. Cabrera’s grievance then was dropped, and MLB announced a 50-game suspension Wednesday.

The New York Daily News first reported on the scheme Sunday.

A team of six-to-seven investigators from MLB spent several weeks working to uncover the plan, a baseball official familiar with the probe told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because MLB didn’t authorize anyone to discuss the matter publicly.

It’s the first such case MLB has had and officials hope that uncovering the scheme will discourage similar attempts.

The person said baseball had referred the case to federal investigators.

A second baseball official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said additional discipline against Cabrera was unlikely.

Cabrera, MVP of the All-Star game last month, tested positive for testosterone, MLB said.

The person said Juan Nunez, who works with Cabrera’s agents, purchased an existing website and attempted to alter it in a manner that would allow Cabrera to claim the positive test was caused by a substance obtained through the website. The News reported Nunez paid $10,000 for the website.