Alex Rodriguez plans on fighting any suspension or banishment from baseball through the appeals process, according to his lawyer. “We are focused on an appeal,” Rodriguez’s lawyer, David Cornwell, said in an interview Monday with Stephen A. Smith on “The Michael Kay Show” on ESPN New York 98.7.
There have been indications that with the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies over, Major League Baseball soon will announce the penalties against Rodriguez and other players involved in the Biogenesis case.
Cornwell said Rodriguez’s “primary focus” is playing in the majors again. Rodriguez is in Tampa rehabbing a quad injury that postponed his return to the Yankees last week.
Rodriguez did not speak to reporters in Tampa on Monday, but a source told ESPNNewYork.com that the player has not been told where he would start a rehab assignment on Thursday. The Yankees have made no announcements, either.
If Rodriguez, 38, is deemed healthy, he would be eligible to play during the appeals process, which could take weeks or months. If he has no setbacks physically and spends the full five days on his minor league rehab, Rodriguez could return to the Yankees on Aug. 6 in Chicago against the White Sox.
However, MLB may try to suspend Rodriguez under its collective bargaining agreement instead of its drug rules, according to The Associated Press.
