TAMPA, Fla. — Alex Rodriguez met with Major League Baseball officials probing the distribution of banned performance-enhancing drugs.
The meeting took place Friday before the New York Yankees third baseman’s latest injury rehabilitation game in the minor leagues was rained out.
While A-Rod didn’t speak with reporters Friday, the meeting was confirmed by a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because no statements were authorized.
MLB investigators are probing the closed anti-aging clinic Biogenesis. Rodriguez has said he used PEDs while with Texas from 2001-03 but has denied using them since. He was linked to Biogenesis in a report in January by Miami New Times.
It was not known whether Rodriguez refused to answer MLB’s questions.
Coming back from hip surgery in January, he had been scheduled to play third base for Class A Tampa. A-Rod was not at Steinbrenner Field when Friday’s game was called, marking the second straight day he did not speak with reporters. He also did not take part in pregame batting practice with the Tampa players.
A team official said the Yankees are evaluating whether Rodriguez will stay in Tampa this weekend, where the weather forecast calls for additional rain, or be moved to another minor league team.
On Friday, the grounds crew put the tarp on the field around 6:20 p.m., 40 minutes before the scheduled start, and just before heavy rainfall left big puddles on the warning track and in parts of the outfield. A lightning strike during the storm knocked out most of the playing field lights.
Rodriguez started at third on Thursday and fielded one grounder before a sudden downpour made the field unplayable and the game was canceled after one-half inning.
Rodriguez is 2 for 15 (.133) with one RBI in six minor league games for Tampa and Charleston, both Class A farm teams.