For years, Pete Rose remained in the headlines, not for his achievements, but for the controversy that defined his legacy. The former MLB legend, who holds the all-time record with 4256 hits, was widely regarded as one of baseball’s greatest players. But then came the scandal: betting on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds. That one mistake? It cost him big time. In 1989, Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti handed down a lifetime ban, and ever since, that shadow has hung over Rose’s legacy like a dark cloud. Fast forward to this week, and the story took a huge twist. Rose is now eligible for the Hall of Fame, something many thought would never happen. Now, with this ban finally lifted, the baseball world is buzzing: What about Alex Rodriguez?

Yes, the New York Yankees‘ superstar, who once lit up the field, found himself entangled in an infamous PED scandal of 2014. Rodriguez was suspended, but it wasn’t just for using performance-enhancing drugs. He also tried to block MLB’s investigation, which the league certainly didn’t take lightly. That landed him a pretty serious ban. But now that even athletes with permanent bans have been pardoned, there appears to be a question in everyone’s mind: Why not Rodriguez? Among the first prominent voices to raise this question, Carlos Baerga, a former Red Sox and Mets player, didn’t hold back.

Stressing upon the question, Baerga bluntly stated, “People are wrong. Leave the PEDs aside; you have to have talent. Let’s respect the hierarchy; not just any player can do that. Alex Rodriguez was a machine. Put on PEDs and put up the numbers that Alex Rodriguez put up.”

Well, honestly, Baerga’s got a point.

A-Rod’s career stats are insane: a .295 batting average, 3,115 hits, 696 home runs, 2,086 RBIs, and 2,021 runs scored. During his illustrated baseball career, he played for big teams like the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers, besides the Yankees. Additionally, he has been honored with two Gold Gloves, three MVPs, ten Silver Slugger awards, and even a World Series title. Those numbers scream Hall of Fame material, if it weren’t for the ban.

Interestingly, A-Rod isn’t the only one in the conversation since the lifetime ban was lifted on the deceased athletes. Players like Barry Bonds, Manny Ramirez, and Roger Clemens, who were also found involved in the PED scandal, have also been brought up in the conversation. However, despite all the buzz, the move doesn’t actually change anything for them. These stars, controversial as they are, were never on the permanently ineligible list in the first place. Their Hall of Fame cases are complicated by PED suspicions and admissions. That’s an entirely separate lane from what just happened with Rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and others.

MLB’s drug policy only puts a player on the permanently ineligible list after a third positive PED test. And none of the big-name PED-era stars ever hit that threshold. In fact, the only player who’s ever been permanently banned for PEDs is Jenrry Mejia, after his third failed test. And he eventually got reinstated.

While most players avoided permanent bans, some still faced unprecedented consequences for their involvement with performance-enhancing drugs.

Alex Rodriguez’s scandal: a career forever changed

A decade ago, MLB’s highest-paid player turned into one of baseball’s controversial figures in a split second. Yes, it was Rodriguez. He was found to have violated MLB’s drug prevention and treatment program. After he refused to even cooperate with the investigation, MLB suspended him for the entire 2014 season. He was banned for 211 games, which was later reduced to 162, the longest non-lifetime suspension in MLB history. 

A-Rod’s career suffered the biggest blow after the Biogenesis doping scandal came to light. He tried to appeal the suspension, but his efforts turned out to be unsuccessful. As there were evidences from MLB’s investigation as well as federal documents that detailed Rodriguez’s involvement with Anthony Bosch.

The MLB legend reportedly agreed to pay Bosch $12,000 a month for doping regimens. This included testosterone ointments and hormone-infused lozenges. He publicly denied those allegations for years. But in an interesting turn of events, he ended up admitting to federal agents that he had used those performance-enhancing drugs. If that wasn’t bad, Rodriguez also admitted lying to Yankees president Randy Levine about his connection to Bosch. 

Now, after all these years, Rodriguez is a changed man as he has worked hard to rebuild his image. Reflecting on his journey, he stated, “I represented myself the wrong way. Coming out of the suspension, I wanted to be honest, be accurate, and be fair with the media—and mix in levity.”

The former Yankee remains a work in progress, but he is optimistic about his future. He has found peace in appreciating and respecting others, something that appeared lacking in his past. Most importantly, he now values spending time with his family, which has helped him grow as both a person and a father.