New York.– Red Sox slugger David Ortiz yesterday insisted he had not used steroids and he began what amounted to an attempt to rebuild his reputation.

Ortiz, 10 days after he acknowledged his name was on a list of players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, said he had used over-the-counter supplements in his past, but insisted he had never taken steroids.

“I definitely was a little bit careless back in those days when I was buying supplements and vitamins over the counter,’’ Ortiz said, adding later that he had been tested at least 15 times since 2003 and never tested positive. “Legal supplements, legal vitamins over the counter. But I never buy steroids or use steroids.’’

Ortiz’s remarks amounted to first extended response to a July 30 New York Times report that he was on the list of 104 players who had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs after a 2003 survey test. The Times did not specify what drugs were detected in the test.