Texas Rangers

Palmeiro says he has agreed with independent team at age 53

Published May. 9, 2018 12:24 a.m. ET

DALLAS (AP) Rafael Palmeiro says he has agreed to play with his son for the independent Cleburne Railroaders at age 53.

Palmeiro told the Dallas Morning News in a text Tuesday that he is looking forward to joining the second-year American Association team and will be teammates with his 28-year-old son Patrick.

''Nobody gave me a chance to go to spring training, so I will just take this path,'' Palmeiro said in the text.

Palmeiro indicated during the winter his desire for the chance at an MLB comeback.

A four-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove-winning first baseman, Palmeiro is one of six players with more than 3,000 hits and 500 homers. He played 20 big league seasons, half of those with the Texas Rangers.

His career ended with Baltimore in 2005 after a positive steroids test. Palmeiro has said he never intentionally took anything, but he fell off the Hall of Fame ballot in 2014 after getting less than 5 percent of the vote.

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