That long and bitter fight to persuade a court to overturn the Alex Rodriguez suspension?

Never mind, the New York Yankees’ third baseman said Friday.

Rodriguez dropped his lawsuits against Major League Baseball, the players union, and Commissioner Bud Selig, according to a notice of dismissal filed by his attorneys Friday.

“Alex Rodriguez has done the right thing by withdrawing his lawsuit,” the union said in a statement. “His decision to move forward is in everyone’s best interest.”


Rodriguez filed suit last month, after an arbitrator reduced his suspension from 211 games to one full season. He had vowed to show up at the Yankees’ training camp, but it is unlikely he will do so now. Position players report Feb. 19.

“We have been informed that Alex Rodriguez has reached the prudent decision to end all of the litigation related to the Biogenesis matter,” MLB said in a statement.

“We believe that Mr. Rodriguez’s actions show his desire to return the focus to the play of our great game on the field and to all of the positive attributes and actions of his fellow major league players. We share that desire.”

It is unlikely that a court would have overturned the suspension and even more unlikely that a court would have taken up the matter soon enough to prevent it from starting as scheduled.


Rodriguez was suspended for what Major League Baseball called “use and possession” of testosterone, human growth hormone and other prohibited substances over “multiple years” and for “attempting to cover up his violations” of baseball’s drug policy by obstructing an MLB investigation.

Rodriguez, 38, has hit 654 career home runs, ranking fifth on the all-time list behind Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays. The Yankees do not have to pay Rodriguez this coming season, but they owe him $61 million for the 2015-17 seasons. The team has not indicated whether it intends to welcome him back after he serves his suspension or simply pay off his contract and release him.