New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez reportedly rejected a 100-game suspension from the MLB. As his appeal continues, Rodriguez has a standing offer of a 150-game ban, USA Today Sports reports.
Rodriguez is appealing a 211-game suspension from the league, which his attorneys believe will be overturned. A source close to Rodriguez, however, told USA Today Sports that MLB officials initially offered Rodriguez a 100-game suspension deal if he'd waive the appeal process.
Rodriguez evidently denied the deal, if one existed, and he appears unlikely to accept the league's other deal: a standing offer of a 150-game ban.
The MLB denied offering any deal to Rodriguez.
"We have not offered 100 games and no offer is on the table," MLB vice president Rob Manfred wrote in an email to USA Today Sports.
One attorney for Rodriguez, Joe Tacopina, doesn't believe the league even has a case against his client.
"Their case is in shambles," Tacopina said, via USA Today Sports. "They can talk a tough game, but we'll see how they act in a courtroom and a court proceeding. I will annihilate them."
He characterized the league's case as "circumstantial" and said the MLB is violating criminal laws in their investigation. He also doesn't believe the testimony of the league's star witness, Biogenesis founder Tony Bosch, would ever hold up in court - if Bosch even testifies and doesn't plead the Fifth Amendment.
Tacopina also took aim at the Yankees. He claimed the Yankees misdiagnosed Rodriguez's hip injury in October, and then intentionally kept it from him in hopes of the 38-year-old suffering a career-ending injury.
"It could have destroyed his health, ruined his career," Tacopina said on Tuesday, via USA Today Sports. "That was reckless.
"The results were evident immediately, but for whatever reason, the Yankees did not share that with Alex. They did not tell him there was a tear in (his hip). They let him go out there and play when he wasn't fit enough to walk, let alone play."
Rodriguez's appeal is expected to be heard by an arbitrator in the coming weeks.
