Alex Rodriguez is still playing baseball while he appeals his 211-game suspension from Major League Baseball, and that’s a contentious issue among many. Rodriguez looks prepared to fight to the bitter end, but he may actually have incentive to drop his appeal and accept his punishment.
Rodriguez rejected an offer of a 100-game ban by MLB just days before the league levied the 211-game suspension, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. A reduced, 150-game ban has been offered should Rodriguez drop his appeal, Nightengale says.
MLB has denied the report.
“We have not offered 100 games, and no offer is on the table,” MLB vice president Rob Manfred told the newspaper in an email. “Every player involved in Biogenesis except Alex Rodriguez accepted their discipline. We have detailed information regarding his use of PEDs, which was longer and more pervasive than other players, and about his efforts to obstruct our investigation.”
Rodriguez, meanwhile, plans to stop talking about all off-the-field topics, according to the report. Rodriguez is said to be appreciative of the way manager Joe Girardi and teammates like CC Sabathia came to his defense after he was hit by a pitch by the Red Sox’ Ryan Dempster, and he wants to be less of a distraction.
