Is Yankees legend Mariano Rivera a deadbeat dad?

Former Yankee Mariano Rivera has been accused of neglecting support payments for two children outside of his family.

Mariano Rivera‘s imagine was nearly perfect on the field and almost totally perfect off the field during a legendary career with the Yankees.

Retirement isn’t as kind right now.

The recent unanimous Hall of Fame inductee is defending himself against allegations of neglecting child support payments for two children Rivera fathered outside his current family of five, per The Boston Globe.

”I have always acted . . . as a good family father,” the 49-year-old told local media.

Rivera’s comments came as he is being asked to appear before Panamanian judicial authorities to answer accusations that he has failed to fulfill his obligations to support the boy and girl, ages 11 and 15.

While Rivera may be telling the truth, not everyone believes the all-time great closer.

”He came to clean up his image before the media, instead of notifying authorities and facing the process” against him, said Yovany Wyznick Ortega, a lawyer for the children’s mother.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Ortega alleged that Rivera and the children had ”always shared” but that the former player stopped seeing them and ”abandoned” them two years ago.

”He stopped paying for things for his children and put them in an economically critical situation,” she said.

“Yankees South” in Miami?

According to the lawyer, Rivera has five suits pending against him and Rivera could be banned from leaving the country of Panama if he doesn’t show up to the hearings.

Rivera, 49, saved 652 games during a 19-year big league career that began in 1995.

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