Alex Rodriguez has an interesting new trainer: Barry Bonds

As he gears up to return to the Yankees for the 2015 season after his yearlong suspension for PED use, Alex Rodriguez has turned to another controversial steroid-tainted superstar to help him get ready.

According to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle Rodriguez has spent time working out with Barry Bonds in the Bay Area at the Future Prospects facility, which is owned and operated by Bonds’ friend and former college teammate Charles Scott:

Bonds’ latest pupil has been out of the game since 2013, has hip issues and turns 40 in July, but Rodriguez is gung ho about returning to the Yankees and is all ears around Bonds. For A-Rod, it’s obviously about the present and getting the best tutoring available, his and Bonds’ association with the steroid era notwithstanding.

You can’t make it up. Two of baseball’s most vilified figures, with 1,416 career home runs between them, getting together for a few swings in the batting cage. You have to wonder what they talked about.

All jokes aside, Bonds has actually carved out a great reputation as a hitting instructor. He’s been a mentor to Giants past and present like Pablo Sandoval, Michael Morse, and Brandon Crawford. Dexter Fowler, who was traded to the Cubs on Monday, is another Bonds disciple.

Rodriguez will report to spring training in less than a month, reportedly intent on being the Yankees’ every day third baseman next season. While that seems a little unrealistic, knowing he’s heading in with some words of wisdom from Bonds makes his comeback attempt even more compelling than it already is.

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Israel Fehr is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr