Report: A-Rod skipped scheduled rehab game, 'infuriated team officials'

Alex Rodriguez did not show up to his rehab game on Friday, leaving Yankees official reportedly "scrambling" to find him. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

After meeting with Major League Baseball officials to discuss the Biogenesis investigation in Tampa, Fla., on Friday, Alex Rodriguez was scheduled to play in a rehab game for the Single-A Tampa Yankees.

But A-Rod never showed up to the game, The New York Post's Joel Sherman is reporting.

Yankees officials were "scrambling to find him" before Rodriguez eventually told them he was not going to play, which "infuriated officials," according to the report.

Though the game was delayed by rain and eventually postponed, A-Rod was not excused from playing by the organization. He never made it to the stadium, according to Sherman, even though published reports stated that he did.

From the report:

But sources say Rodriguez had enough time to get from the nearby location where he was interrogated to the park before any official word had come down about whether the game would be played or not. He was not excused by organization officials from attending the game and, in fact, the Yankees had been told by MLB the interview would be done in a timeframe to allow Rodriguez to continue his rehab games, and the meeting ended about two hours before the scheduled first pitch.

Reached by phone, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman refused to comment on whether Rodriguez was absent without permission. Rodriguez and his spokespersons did not respond to questions about why he did not go to the stadium.

Multiple sources have told The Post that Rodriguez never made it to George M. Steinbrenner Field, where the Yankees also hold major league spring training. Nevertheless, a published report stated he did:

“Hours after meeting with MLB at an undisclosed Tampa location, Rodriguez trotted onto Steinbrenner Field, the team’s spring training site, to the hushed applause of maybe 50 fans. But a deluge delayed the game, which was eventually postponed.”

Rodriguez's rehab began in controversy when he tweeted that he had been cleared to play before the Yankees announced it themselves, leading GM Brian Cashman to tell A-Rod to "shut the f-- up."

A spokesperson for the 38-year-old third baseman told Sherman that Rodriguez would not comment beyond a brief statement.