AL | A-Rod's wife reportedly will file for divorce

Alex Rodriguez's wife will file for divorce today, according to media reports.

Cynthia Rodriguez, who married the New York Yankees star in 2002, says the marriage is over because of the All-Star third baseman's extramarital affairs, according to reports that appeared Sunday on the Web sites of Houston television station KTRK and The Miami Herald.

Alex Rodriguez tied Mickey Mantle for 13th place on the home-run list, hitting No. 536.

The reports come just days after Alex Rodriguez was linked to Madonna in various media outlets and Cynthia Rodriguez's subsequent visit to the Paris home of rocker Lenny Kravitz, who said she came to France to escape the media frenzy in New York and denied that anything improper had happened.

Houston attorney Earle Lilly, who said he was hired by Cynthia Rodriguez last week to launch the divorce case, told KTRK the star's "relationship with Madonna was the final straw for Mrs. Rodriguez."

Rodriguez's wife also is represented by attorneys Maurice Kutner and Anthony Sabatino, both of Miami, and John Van Ness of Houston, the Herald reported.

"She feels that she has exhausted every opportunity to salvage the marriage, and that Alex has emotionally abandoned her and the children and has left her with no choice but to divorce him," Kutner told the newspaper.

The former Cynthia Scurtis and Rodriguez were married Nov. 2, 2002, in Dallas. They have two children, Natasha Alexander and Ella Alexander, who was born April 21.

The suit is expected to be filed early today in Dade County (Fla.) Family Court.

Lilly did not immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press.

Alex Rodriguez has refused to comment on his relationship with Madonna, who denied any romantic involvement with the slugger in a statement posted Sunday on people.com.

"I know Alex Rodriguez through Guy Oseary, who manages both of us," Madonna said. "I brought my kids to a Yankee game. I am not romantically involved in any way with Alex Rodriguez. I have nothing to do with the state of his marriage or what spiritual path he may choose to study."

Meanwhile, Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon was put on the disabled list for the first time in his major-league career after 13 ½ seasons and 1,927 regular-season games. Damon sprained and bruised his left shoulder when he crashed into the left-field fence trying for a leaping catch against Boston on Friday.

Baltimore: LHP Adam Loewen left in the fifth after experiencing a sharp pain in his surgically repaired left elbow. It's the same problem that put him on the disabled list from May 2 through last Monday, and the Orioles were not optimistic.

Chicago: White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said the team will monitor RHP Esteban Loaiza the next few days before deciding whether to activate him or send him to the minors. Loaiza, on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation, returned from a rehab assignment with Class AAA Charlotte on Friday.

Seattle Times news services