TAMPA, Fla. — Alex Rodriguez will start a second minor league injury rehabilitation assignment on Friday at Double-A Trenton, hoping to return to the New York Yankees before any suspension by Major League Baseball.

Rodriguez played a simulated game Thursday at the team's spring training home, and New York said he will play for Trenton against Reading for two games through Saturday.

With the Yankees at San Diego on Sunday, there is little chance the team will tell him to fly across the country after a night game for a day game in California.

If he's not suspended by then, the three-time MVP could rejoin New York for its series opener Monday at the Chicago White Sox. However, it appears MLB will suspend Rodriguez by then for ties to Biogenesis of America, a closed Florida anti-aging clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs.

Four years ago Rodriguez admitted using PEDs while with Texas from 2001-03, but he repeatedly has denied using them since.

Because of wet grounds, the Yankees moved Rodriguez's simulated game from their minor league complex across the Dale Mabry highway to Steinbrenner Field.

The ballpark was closed to media, who watched from a walkway behind the right-field bullpen. Rodriguez saw 31 pitches over six at-bats, played third and ran bases during the simulated game. About two dozen media members and five television trucks were on hand — but no fans.

Coming back from January hip surgery, Rodriguez was .200 (8 for 40) with two homers and eight RBIs in 13 minor league games from July 2-20 for Class A Tampa and Charleston (S.C.), Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The assignment was cut a day short when he complained of quadriceps tightness, and the Yankees said an MRI in New York on July 21 showed a grade 1 strain.

Rodriguez pushed to be activated later that week, retaining a doctor without giving the Yankees the required notification, and the physician claimed he couldn't detect an injury. During a conference call with Yankees officials on July 25 — Rodriguez insisted one of his lawyers be on the call — the sides agreed to a schedule for his return.

He appeared ready to talk as he was leaving the minor league complex, waving a group of writers to his car in the parking lot and rolling down the window. However, when A-Rod saw a second group with TV cameras approaching, he said "I'll talk to you guys, but no cameras."

Rodriguez closed the window and kept the car stationary for a moment, then left without saying another word to reporters.