Embattled Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez played in a simulated game on Thursday in his first step towards a second rehab stint, but avoided the media after it was over.
Rodriguez, expected to play in a game Friday for the Double-A Trenton Thunder in his first rehab game since straining his quad, reportedly addressed reporters about his rehab Thursday before abruptly leaving in the middle of his interview without saying why or giving full details on his plans for rehab.
A-Rod could join the Yankees as soon as Sunday in San Diego or Monday in Chicago depending on whether or not Major League Baseball decides to suspend the slugger for violating its policy on performance-enhancing drugs due to his ties to a Biogenesis clinic in Miami that may have sold PED's to as many as 20 players.
The Yankees said Rodriguez had six at-bats and saw 31 pitches while taking part in simulated defense and base running situations.
According to reports, negotiations between A-Rod, his lawyers and MLB officials have stalled due to a difference in the amount of games that A-Rod is willing to accept and the amount of games that the MLB wants him to serve, as well as because the 38-year-old wants to cash in on some of the $100 million the Yankees owe him on his deal.
Rodriguez was set to detail his day and how he felt after the simulated game on Thursday, but reports indicate that he strangely drove away. Rodriguez apparently only wanted to talk to print reporters, but when camera crews came running over, he decided to just drive away as he didn't want to appear before the cameras.
Rodriguez is coming back from hip surgery he had last January, and played his first rehab stint between July 2-20. He was 8-for-40 (.200) in that span, appearing in 13 games and hitting two homers while putting up 13 RBIs between Class A Tampa and Charleston (S.C.), Double-A Trenton, and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. His rehab was then cut short due to soreness in his quadriceps, which the Yankees later said an MRI revealed to be a Grade 1 quad strain.
Rodriguez then said that his quad was fine, and even had his doctor evaluate him without the knowledge of the Yankees. His doctor then publicly stated he couldn't detect the injury, putting a strain on the relationship between the Yanks and A-Rod as it made the team look like it was lying about the injury.
The three-time MVP has admitted to using PEDs in 2001-03 with the Texas Rangers, but has denied using them since. He and the Yankees have agreed for him to start a rehab assignment to make his way back, but whether or not the MLB interjects with a suspension to spoil the plans remains to be seen.
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