"I fell from top of mountain all the way to ground" - When Alex Rodriguez made brutally honest admission about his 'necessary evil' downfall

Former New York Yankees slugger, Alex Rodriguez, was an enigma during his playing days. He was one of the most feared players with a bat in his hand and held down third base well.

However, it was not all sunshine and rainbows for A-Rod. He did not play at all during the 2014 season as he was handed a 162-game suspension for his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.

The suspension took its toll on the slugger. He talked about the suspension and how it affected him during a 2018 interview with CNN Sports.

"I fell from the top of the mountain, all the way to the ground. I call it ground zero and below," said A-Rod.

A-Rod went from being one of the game's best to having to watch an entire season from the sideline. The 162 games still serve as the lengthiest suspension the league has served regarding PEDs.

"I served the longest (drug) suspension in Major League Baseball history, and I came back and I keep coming back. I'm still a work in progress, but I think it was a necessary evil for me, to kind of shift the paradigm" said A-Rod.

Despite feeling low, the former Yankees' slugger was able to return after serving his suspension. In 2015, he returned to action, hitting .250/.356/.486 with 33 home runs and 86 runs batted in.

Alex Rodriguez was not the only player to be hit with a suspension for PEDs during that time

New York Yankees - Alex Rodriguez (Photo via IMAGN)

Alex Rodriguez was hit with a suspension for his involvement with the Biogenesis lab. It was alleged that the lab had given PEDs, specifically human growth hormone, to multiple MLB players.

Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun was also hit with a suspension for his involvement. He was handed a 65-game suspension during the 2013 season, which he did not appeal.

12 players received a 50-game suspension. That list includes Everth Cabrera, Nelson Cruz and Jhonny Peralta, who were all All-Stars in 2013.

The Biogenesis lab was founded by Anthony Bosch. He was the prime source for these athletes receiving PEDs. After failing to pay some employees, one frustrated employee worked as a whistleblower to get the story out there.

Bosch was hit with a four-year federal prison sentence for being the ringleader in this scandal. He was released in 2016 after serving 16 months, thanks to his cooperation with prosecutors.