Alex Rodriguez admitted today that he used performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-2003 while with the Texas Rangers.
His admission came two days after Sports Illustrated reported that he tested positive for steroids in 2003.
Rodriguez said his steroid use began shortly after he arrived in Texas, having just inked a 10-year deal worth $252 million, making him Major League Baseball’s highest-paid player.
“When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure. I felt like I had all the weight of the world on top of me and I needed to perform, and perform at a high level every day,” he said in an interview with ESPN.
Now with the New York Yankees, Rodriguez for years has denied using steroids.
“Back then it was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young. I was stupid,” he told ESPN. “I was naive, and I wanted to prove to everyone that, you know, I was worth, you know — and being one of the greatest players of all time.”
Rodriguez hit 52, 57 and 47 home runs in his three seasons with the Rangers.
