Alex Rodriguez during game four of the American League Championship Series at Comerica Park on October 18, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan.
New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has dropped his lawsuit against Major League Baseball for tortious interference. Rodriguez’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, told ESPN that a notice of voluntary dismissal had been filed on Friday afternoon. By withdrawing his suits against the Major League Baseball Association and Commissioner Bud Selig, Rodriguez has given up on his fight to overturn his 162-game suspension and will sit out the entire 2014 season.
The lawsuits would likely have cost him a reported $10 million in legal fees at a time when A-Rod is already losing $25 million in salary during his suspension. Dropping the lawsuit could help Rodriguez maintain a good relationship with the MLB going forward after he returns to the game following the end of the 2014 season. Rodriguez’s contract with the Yankees is set to expire at the end of the 2017 season.
“We believe that Mr. Rodriguez’s actions show his desire to return the focus to the play of our great game on the field and to all of the positive attributes and actions of his fellow major league players,” the MLB said in a statement. “We share that desire.”
Rodriguez’s suspension is the longest in history for a Major League player using PEDs. The New York Yankee has maintained his innocence throughout the legal process.
[ESPN]