MLB roundup: A-Rod scheduled to play for Yankees Monday
New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez plans to appeal a Major League Baseball suspension that is expected to come Monday and play in a game that night against the Chicago White Sox, according to multiple reports Sunday.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi has penciled Rodriguez into the lineup at third base for his season debut in Chicago, ESPN's Shelley Smith reported.
Rodriguez is expected to be suspended through the 2014 season as a result of the Biogenesis case involving performance-enhancing drugs and for not being forthcoming with investigators, according to reports.
Rodriguez is one of approximately 10 major league players who are expected to be punished Monday, but his suspension is the only one that reportedly will extend beyond the current season.
According to USA Today, the 38-year-old Rodriguez will file the appeal immediately, allowing him to play Monday night. The appeal could be heard by arbitrator Fredric Horowitz in the next three weeks.
---Texas Rangers pitcher Matt Garza, upset by a squeeze bunt by A's infielder Eric Sogard in the seventh inning of Saturday's game in Oakland, vented his frustration on social media after the game.
Garza shouted at Sogard walking off the field during the game and later tweeted at Sogard and his pregnant wife, Kaycee, who was posting on Twitter during the game. When Kaycee said on Twitter that "Eric is probably the last person to respond to getting called names," Garza replied several hours later, "Childish is having your wife speak for you! certain people can't shut there woman up!."
Later referring to that comment and the tweets from Sogard's wife, Garza offered, "Keep your woman out of it. ... Mans game ... So no place in Oakland to eat huh!" Garza ended with "I appreciate the love baseball fans. sorry I let my competitive edge out. guess people thought athletes don't care. Don't like me don't follow."
He apologized again before Sunday's game.
---The surging Kansas City Royals placed catcher Salvador Perez on the seven-day concussion disabled list.
The Royals' medical staff labeled the injury a low-grade concussion, but it is unknown how long Perez might be sidelined.
---- The Los Angles Dodgers are atop the National League West standings, but they have some injury issues.
Outfielder Yasiel Puig was not in the starting lineup on Sunday because of a left thumb contusion, and shortstop Hanley Ramirez had to leave the game because of a shoulder injury.
Also, the Dodgers officially released pitcher Ted Lilly.
Puig?s injury is not believed to be serious and he apparently could have played, but he did not get into the game.
Ramirez was injured after falling into the Wrigley Field stands attempting to catch a David DeJesus pop-up. He left with a jammed shoulder, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The severity of the injury is not clear.
