Yankees rumors: Alex Rodriguez is back, but Cashman still exploring options

A-Rod’s appeal isn’t expected to got to arbitration until the fall, but GM Brian Cashman still has one foot in the waiver-wire door.

by Nate A

Aug 7, 2013, 3:01 PM UTC

“Any third basemen up here?...”

The Star-Ledger-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees will likely have Alex Rodriguez on the roster through the end of the season, but that hasn't kept general manager Brian Cashman from keeping an eye on outside options. The GM is continuing to "see what's available" on the secondary market even though he's operating under the assumption that A-Rod will be at hot corner into October, reports Joey Nowak of MLB.com.

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Cashman added that the he’s unsure whether “anything’s going to be there for us or not,” but that the club will continue to do its due diligence just in case.

Until Monday, the Yankees had no idea whether they could count on Rodriguez playing for them at all this year, so Cashman was hesitant to make any sort of moves before the suspension was doled out:

”I certainly wasn’t sure what was going to happen. We had to get through [Monday] because obviously there’s always a domino effect.
“Are you going to have Alex? Are you not going to have Alex? That certainly affects what your needs are and what you’re looking for...”

Rodriguez, 38, was handed a 211-game suspension by the commissioner’s office on Monday for violations of the Joint Drug Agreement (50 games) and the Basic Agreement (everything else), all stemming from his involvement with the Biogenesis PED clinic. The suspension is supposed to go into effect on Thursday, but -- because A-Rod has chosen to appeal the length of his punishment -- he will continue to play until his arbitration hearing is complete.

Rodriguez has two hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch over eight plate appearances so far in his return to the Yankees’ lineup. The veteran DH-ed on Tuesday but will likely be back at third for Wednesday’s game.