Alex Rodriguez, one of the biggest stars in Major League Baseball (MLB), may receive a suspension for using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), according to reports from ESPN.
But the third baseman of the New York Yankees isn't the only one under investigation. At least 20 players could be penalized with a punishment that would involve a 100-game suspension. And if this news is confirmed, it will be one of the biggest scandals in the history of professional baseball.
Rodriguez alledegly had counseling in a Miami-based clinic named Biogenesis, also attended by other players such as Ryan Braun, to improve their performance on the field. The records of patients who passed through their offices became public when the scandal linked to the clinic broke last year.
This information was published at that time by the Miami New Times and revealed a possible doping of at least 20 MLB players, including Rodriguez, Braun, Melky Cabrera and Nelson Cruz. Biogenesis founder Tony Bosch said that, if necessary, he was willing to cooperate with the investigation and give the names of players who may have doped.
Cabrera, along with Bartolo Colon and Yasmani Grandal, were suspended for 50 games last season after being treated in the clinic. Now the case threatens to spread to Rodriguez, baseball's highest paid player, as well as Ryan Braun, named the National League's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2011.
Braun failed a drug test in 2011, but his suspension was overturned by a judge when the player admitted that he appeared in the records of Biogenesis, but only because he used Bosch as an adviser during his appeal.
In addition to Rodriguez, his Yankees teammate Francisco Cervelli was also linked to the clinic. The Venezuelan catcher admitted he went to Biogenesis because of a foot injury, but he said that he didn't receive treatment, according to ESPN.
A-Rod isn't having his best moment in New York, as he's heavily criticized by the fans because of his poor performance in the playoffs. In addition, the Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told ESPN he doesn't believe that the shortstop is at the height of his $27.5 million per year contract.
Meanwhile, the MLB sued Biogenesis of America and its directors, accusing them of supplying banned drugs to enhance performance for athletes, which would violate their contracts, ESPN reported. But the league would be willing to drop its lawsuit against Bosch if he cooperates with the investigation and confirms exactly which players the clinic administered PEDs to.
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