Alex Rodriguez Explains Why He'd Be In 'A Lot of Pain' If He Ever Made Baseball HOF

Alex Rodriguez, like many former baseball players with links to performance-enhancing drugs, may never make the Hall of Fame.

But he isn't even sure if he would embrace such an induction if it did happen.

"I have a life today that I didn't have for the first 40 years," Rodriguez told Jason Jones of The Athletic. "If I went to the Hall of Fame, in a weird way, I would be hollow inside. I would still be in a lot of pain.

"I would rather have what I have today, because it really helped me unlock a lot of the work that I needed to do."

Rodriguez also said therapy sessions have helped him grow "divorced" from the idea he will one day make the Hall of Fame despite an impressive playing career.

He played from 1994 through 2016 for the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees while amassing a resume that included a World Series title, three league MVPs, a batting title, two Gold Gloves, 10 Silver Sluggers and 14 All-Star selections.

The 50-year-old is fifth on Major League Baseball's all-time home run list with 696 and fourth on the all-time RBI list with 2,086.

Were it not for the PED connections, he would already be a Hall of Famer and someone who was considered an absolute lock for the recognition.

Yet he is one of a number of players who would fit that description.

Era-defining players such as Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, among others, are also not enshrined in Cooperstown following varying degrees of allegations and connections to PEDs during their respective careers despite being some of the best statistical players to ever take the field.

Rodrigez's comments suggest he has found some level of acceptance with his Hall of Fame fate well after his playing career ended.