Charleston, SC – New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez began a rehab assignment with the Class-A Charleston RiverDogs on Tuesday, going 0-for-2 while playing three innings in the field of a South Atlantic League matchup with the Rome Braves.
Rodriguez had yet to appear in a live game this season while recovering from surgery performed in January to repair a torn labrum in his left hip. The Yankees are hopeful that the three-time American League MVP can return to the lineup shortly after the upcoming All-Star break.
The star slugger's anticipated appearance drew a capacity crowd at the 6,000- seat Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park, with Rodriguez spotted signing autographs down the right-field line after being removed from the contest.
Rodriguez's time away from the Yankees has not been without controversy, with the 37-year-old headlining a list of MLB players linked to Biogenesis of America, a Miami-based anti-aging clinic suspected of supplying performance- enhancing substances that is currently under investigation by the league office.
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