Alex Rodriguez contacted the Major League Baseball Players Association earlier in August to begin the grievance process into claims that the New York Yankees intentionally hid an injury from Rodriguez during the 2012 playoffs, reports Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com.
Joseph Tacopina, the attorney representing Rodriguez in his appeal of a 211-game suspension for his involvement with Bigoenesis, alleged on Saturday that the Yankees hid MRI results from Rodriguez that revealed he had a torn labrum. Rodriguez would eventually need offseason surgery on his hip, and was forced to miss the first four months of the season rehabbing from the surgery.
Rodriguez's attorneys contacted the MLBPA within the last two weeks, which is the first step that could lead to a formal grievance between the Yankees and Rodriguez. There are four steps in the process. After the player notifies the union, the players' association does its own research before contacting MLB officials. The two sides then attempt to work out an agreement to avoid a hearing, but if the two sides cannot mediate the issue, it is brought in front of the arbitrator to decide.
An MLB spokesman told Marchand that no one has contacted the league about a grievance, and the Yankees have also not been informed about the grievance process beginning.
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