Fansided

Alex Rodriguez batting 7th for Yankees in first game since steroid suspension

ByKyle Franzoni|
Apr 4, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (13) takes the field before the game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 4, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (13) takes the field before the game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

In his first official game since his year-long steroid suspensions, Alex Rodriguez will bat 7th and will be the designated hitter for the New York Yankees.

After missing all of the 2014 season while serving a year-long suspension for his involvement with the Biogenesis scandal, Alex Rodriguez is looking to resume his Major League Baseball career. He’ll get that opportunity on Monday, when he officially steps back onto the field for the New York Yankees for Opening Day 2015, batting 7th in the line-up, as released by the Yankees.

Alex Rodiguez was suspended by Major League Baseball on August 5, 2013 as part of their investigation into the Biogenesis Anti-Aging Clinic, which was a front for supplying athletes with illegal performance enhancing substances. Unlike the suspensions handed down to Ryan Braun, Jhonny Peralta, Nelson Cruz, Francisco Cervelli, and others, A-Rod’s suspension was initially handed down as a 211 ban, removing Rodriguez from games for the final two months of 2013 and all of the 2014 season. The reason for the extra length of Rodriguez’s suspension was due to his role in trying to cover-up his involvement, including reports of his legal team buying evidence.

More from MLB

Due to the length of suspension, Rodriguez appealed, which was his right under the CBA. However, an arbitration panel upheld his suspension in January 2014, but reduced it to 162 games (the entire 2014 season), choosing not to punish him for the games played while under appeal.

Now set to return, it will be interesting to see Rodriguez’s dynamic and what kind of distraction it creates for a Yankee team that has missed the post season for two consecutive years and no longer has Derek Jeter to try and sway the New York media. Thus far, the slugger has been doing all the right things in camp, showing his determination to make everything right and do whatever is needed from him.That’s included a willingness to switch positions, seeing time at third base, first base, and designated hitter this spring, where he will start on Monday.

With a surgically repaired hip and a year-long layoff, the Yankees will likely use A-Rod quite a bit at DH throughout the year, while also giving him an opportunity to spell Chase Headley at third base on a limited basis. Given that the hip has looked okay thus far this spring, with the slugger hitting .267/.377/.489 with 3 home runs this spring. That doesn’t mean that he’ll return to his pre-2010 form, but a decent imitation of that will go a long way for a Yankees line-up that surely missed his bat over the last two seasons.

Let the circus begin!

Next: Be ready for lots of metal detectors at Yankee Stadium this year!

More from FanSided

Home/MLB