By Ryan Gorman PUBLISHED: 23:14 EST, 4 August 2013 | UPDATED: 14:11 EST, 5 August 2013 Barring an unfortunate lightning strike, it looks like Alex Rodriguez was right - he will be in the Yankees’ lineup Monday night. Despite multiple reports claiming to confirm Major League Baseball will announce on Monday a 214 game suspension – along with 50 game bans for as many as 15 others – of the tarnished player, Rodriguez will be able to play Monday night. The accused cheater’s plan to appeal the suspension allows for him to be on the field until an arbitrator hears the case.
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A 214 game suspension against Alex Rodriguez is expected to be announced - along with other, lesser bans - Monday afternoon
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A-Rod is widely expected to appeal the suspension, clearing the way for him to play until his case is heard by an arbitrator
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Rodriguez may blame the team for his use of performance enhancing drugs, saying they mishandled and misdiagnosed injuries since 2009
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Should the arbitrator side with the league, his suspension could continue into the 2015 season if upheld in its entirety
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The @placeholder have no choice but to activate the aging slugger if he is ready to play.
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Defiant till the bitter end: Rodriguez boasted Friday night that he was going to play for the @placeholder Monday unless 'struck by lightning'
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In taking his case to an arbitrator, Rodriguez, 38, will likely try to throw the @placeholder – a team that will have paid him over $275million by the end of this season – under a bus for a host of reasons.
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The alleged cheat accused both the @placeholder and MLB of conspiring to keep him off the field and void his contract.
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The alleged cheat accused both the Yankees and @placeholder of conspiring to keep him off the field and void his contract.
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And that's not my teammates and it's not the @placeholder fans,’ the tormented slugger said, adding, ‘when all this stuff is going on in the background and people are finding creative ways to cancel your contract and stuff like that, I think that's concerning for me.’