MLB Will Not Ban A-Rod Over Poker Claims, Source Says

NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball officials will not suspend injured Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez over illegal poker allegations, the New York Post reported Sunday.

"Even if it is determined that he was [playing illegal poker], he will not be suspended at this time for this infraction," a source said. "He will be warned again and not lightly."

Last week, baseball brass announced that they would call Rodriguez into MLB headquarters to be grilled about claims that he played in high-stakes private games frequented by thugs and drug users.

League officials have been probing Rodriguez's alleged poker playing, reports of which first surfaced early last month.

But the source said that, unless Rodriguez admits to some other more serious infraction, he will not be suspended for any of the activities so far alleged.

Although MLB objects to the behavior, the league apparently does not feel that it is serious enough to suspend Rodriguez for any period.

They will give him a serious warning to stay out of that kind of game, the source said. The new warning will come after the league previously cautioned the star slugger about his card playing in 2005.

Rodriguez still has not yet met with MLB probers, a meeting that his spokesman said he "looks forward to." The meeting could come in the next two weeks.

Also, baseball will seek to have language added to the next collective bargaining agreement with the Players Association that specifically bans playing in illegal underground poker games and other illicit gambling.

The Yankees have declined to comment on the poker reports.

Rodriguez was first linked last month to a ring of underground games, which were sometimes frequented by celebrities such as Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon, according to Star Magazine.

Rodriguez, through his spokesman Richard Rubenstein, denied playing in the games. Rubenstein said the reports were filled with "numerous factual errors."