While an induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown remains elusive, former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez was enshrined in a different Hall of Fame.
On Monday, Rodriguez joined Felix Hernandez, Andruw Jones, Johan Santana, and Alfonso Soriano in celebrating their induction into the Latin American Baseball Hall of Fame, located in the Dominican Republic.
Rodriguez, 49, was born to Dominican parents in New York, where he was raised until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 4. He returned to the U.S. in fourth grade and settled in Florida, where he spent the rest of his childhood. Rodriguez later starred at Westminster Christian School in Palmetto Bay before being drafted first overall by the Seattle Mariners in 1993.
The star shortstop-turned-third baseman went on to play 22 seasons in MLB, earning 14 All-Star selections, three AL MVP awards, two Gold Glove Awards, and 10 Silver Sluggers. He spent 12 seasons in the Bronx, where he played a pivotal role in helping deliver the Yankees’ 27th World Series title in 2009, batting .365 with six home runs over 52 at-bats that postseason.
“What an unforgettable night in the Dominican Republic! Thank you to the Latin American Baseball Hall of Fame @salondelafamalatino for this incredible honor,” Rodriguez wrote in an Instagram post sharing photos from the event. “To be recognized alongside iconic Latin players I’ve admired and played with is truly humbling.”
Despite his status as one of the greatest players of his era and his place at No. 5 on the all-time home run list with 696, Rodriguez has yet to come close to induction in Cooperstown. Like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, his candidacy has sparked controversy due to his connection to performance-enhancing drugs during his career.
In February 2009, Selena Roberts and David Epstein of Sports Illustrated reported that Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in the 2003 survey testing. A few days later, in a televised confession, he admitted to using steroids during a three-year period starting in 2001 while with the Texas Rangers—three seasons before MLB began suspending players for violating the league’s Joint Drug Agreement.
In 2013, Rodriguez was handed a 211-game suspension by MLB for his alleged role in the Biogenesis baseball scandal. He appealed and played the remainder of the 2013 season until arbitrator Fredric Horowitz upheld 162 games of the 211-game suspension, the longest drug-related suspension in MLB history, costing him the entire 2014 season.
Rodriguez needs 75% of the vote to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but through the first three years of his 10-year eligibility, he has received less than 36%. His total dropped from 35.7% to 34.8% in 2023.
A-Rod currently serves as an MLB studio analyst for FOX Sports, working alongside Kevin Burkhardt, David Ortiz, and former Yankees teammate Derek Jeter. This past season, he attended his first Old-Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium, where he was honored during the 15th anniversary celebration of the 2009 World Series team and received a warm ovation from the home crowd.
