New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez hit his 660th career home run on Friday night, tying Willie Mays for fourth place on the all-time home run list. But on Saturday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the team would not pay Rodriguez a $6 million bonus that was supposed to come with the home run.
Brian Cashman says Yankees won’t pay Alex Rodriguez $6m HR bonus
Alex Rodriguez will not be paid a $6 million bonus for hitting his 660th career home run on Friday night, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman confirmed on Saturday, an issue that will likely be solved by a grievance.
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In addition to the 10-year, $275 million contract Rodriguez signed before the 2008 season, there was the potential for $30 million in marketing bonuses, $6 million each for hitting milestone home runs -- 660 to tie Mays, 714 to tie Babe Ruth, 755 to tie Hank Aaron and 762 and 763 to tie and pass Barry Bonds for the all-time record.
“We have the right, not the obligation to do something. And that’s it. It’s not you do this, you get that. It’s completely different,” Cashman said, per Bob Nightenale of USA Today. “I’ll let the other people above me handle it the rest of the way, but it’s not this two away, three away, four away, and all of a sudden, we’re choosing not to do something. We’ve got the right, not the obligation, in quotes. It’s as simple as that.”
At issue is Rodriguez getting suspended for the entire 2014 season for PED usage, which the Yankees say make these milestone home runs difficult to market, per Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York:
A source who was involved in the drafting of the agreement told ESPNNewYork.com that the numbers are explicitly spelled out in the contract; the Yankees contend that the bonuses are contingent upon the club’s ability to market the accomplishment, which they contend is impossible now due to Rodriguez’s admissions of, and punishment for, illegal PED usage.
Rodriguez feels the opposite and could file a grievance, though after Friday’s game it was not a subject he wished to address.
“I’m so in the moment right now and really grateful and appreciative to be playing baseball,” Rodriguez told the Associated Press. “Those things will take care of themselves.”
Entering Saturday, Rodriguez was hitting .243/.376/.557 with six home runs in 21 games this season for the Yankees
In the latest adversarial chapter in the saga between Rodriguez and the Yankees, Cashman seemed confident the team would prevail.
“The great thing about contracts, if there are any disputes, there’s a system in place to determine if there is some misunderstanding,” Cashman said, per Nightengale. “I don’t think there’s any misunderstanding. I think it’s pretty clear.”
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