New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez and eight other players will reportedly be suspended by the end of the week. MLB officials informed the Players Association of the impending suspensions, the NY Daily News reports.
Rodriguez and the eight others are facing suspensions of varying lengths for their alleged involvement with Biogenesis of America, a South Florida anti-aging clinic that provided athletes with performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).
"Most of the players will be suspended for 50 games, but some - including the Yankees' embattled superstar - face stiffer penalties for lying to MLB investigators or interfering in baseball's year-long Biogenesis investigation," The News wrote Tuesday night.
Commissioner Bud Selig is adamant that Rodriguez pay for his doping. The MLB reportedly gave Rodriguez an ultimatum: accept a season-and-a-half suspension or face a lifetime ban from baseball.
If Rodriguez accepts the MLB's deal, which would waive any appeal process and arbitration, the 38-year-old would be able to return for the 2015 season and play out the remainder of his contract with New York.
If Rodriguez declines the deal, Selig is prepared invoke his rarely-used right in the league's collective bargaining agrreement (CBA) to suspend a player to preserve the integrity of the game.
David Cornwell, Rodriguez's attorney, publically stated this week that his client would appeal any decision by the league to suspend him.
The Biogenesis investigation appears to have yielded a mountain of evidence. Selig is believed to have hundreds of e-mails, calls and text messages that implicate Rodriguez with the now-defunct clinic.
He faces a harsher penalty because the evidence suggests Rodriguez attempted to interfere with the MLB's investigation by intimidating witnesses and purchasing documents, in addition to violating the league's drug policy.
Last week, Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun became the first casualty of the Biogenesis investigation. The league issued Braun a 65-game suspension without pay, which he accepted.
The league hopes the other players implicated in the investigation will follow Braun's lead and accept deals.
