After months of uncertainty, we finally know the length of Alex Rodriguez’s suspension. Arbitrator Frederic Horowitz announced today that New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez will be suspended one full season, 162 games to be exact for violating MLB’s PED policy.
Rodriguez, who was initially suspended for 211 games, was reduced. However, Rodriguez will not be eligible to play in the postseason either, and his $27 million salary will not count towards the Yankees’ payroll.
This may allow the Yankees to get under their $189 million luxury tax threshold, and it could also allow them to have more money available to sign pitcher Masahiro Tanaka.
However, Rodriguez is planning to take this suspension to federal court with a lawsuit. If Rodriguez does this, the process will carry over into the season, which would make his $27 million salary count against the Yankees’ payroll.
Although the arbitrator has made his ruling, Rodriguez’s mindset and past statements towards the suspension show that this whole dilemma could be far from over.