The ongoing dispute between Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees over whether he'd be paid for milestone bonuses in his contract has been resolved -- "amicably resolved" in the words of a joint MLB-MLBPA statement released on Friday.
As CBSSports MLB insider Jon Heyman recently reported, the Yankees and A-Rod had been discussing such an outcome.
As for specifics, here's an excerpt from the joint statement:
As part of this resolution, Mr. Rodriguez and the Yankees have agreed that a total of $3.5 million in charitable contributions will be made by the Club, with $1 million going to the following charities that have long enjoyed the support of one or both: the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, the Boys & Girls Club of Tampa, and Pitch In For Baseball; and $2.5 million going to the MLB Urban Youth Foundation, which will use the money to further programs and initiatives aimed at increasing youth participation in baseball, particularly in urban areas. Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. will determine the initiatives to be supported by the $2.5 million contribution after consulting with Mr. Rodriguez, and taking into consideration the focus of Mr. Rodriguez’s past charitable contributions.
Per the terms of his contract, Rodriguez was entitled to a $6-million bonus for passing Willie Mays on the all-time home run list, which he did on May 7 with his 661st career homer.
At one point, the team had reportedly been angling to get out of paying those bonuses, citing A-Rod's suspension for violating MLB's drug policy.
