Cesar Tordesillas

New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez has allegedly been identified by sources as the player who paid a former employee of a Miami-based clinic linked to performance-enhancing drugs to prevent release of potentially damaging documents.

Several sources also claimed that MLB investigators find the information credible but they have no physical evidence to link the third baseman to payments to a former Biogenesis worker.

Rodriguez could face suspension and criminal charges if Major League Baseball can acquire physical evidence or sworn statements that he shelled out money to conceal documents.

Rodriguez is listed in Biogenesis documents as having received thousands of dollars worth of performance-enhancing drugs.

Earlier, ESPN's "Outside the Lines" reported that Rodriguez was injected with drugs at his home by clinic founder Anthony Bosch.

Sources informed "Outside the Lines" that the former Biogenesis of America employee, identified as Michael Porter Fischer, left the company in September after a falling out with Bosch.

Fischer had invested $20,000 in the company, but grew disenchanted with Bosch and demanded his money.

Sources said Bosch paid Fischer the $20,000, but refused to pay an additional $4,000 that the employee said he was owed.

Bosch then informed Rodriguez that Fischer was threatening to expose the operation, and Rodriguez gave Bosch at least $4,000 "to make it go away."

"Alex flatly denies the allegations," said Terry Fahn, a spokesman for Rodriguez.

Aside from Rodriguez, Biogenesis of America is suspected of providing performance-enhancing drugs to a number of major leaguers, including Melky Cabrera, Gio Gonzalez, Bartolo Colon, Nelson Cruz, Ryan Braun and Yasmani Grandal.

The players mentioned all denied obtaining any banned substances from the clinic.

Earlier, it was reported that Major League Baseball shelled out money to a clinic's former employee for documents related to the case.

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A-Rod Paid Clinic's Ex-Employee for Incriminating Docs