Last Sunday, Alex Rodriguez held a press conference with the New York Yankees stating he’ll play his final game with the Yankees on August 12 and that New York has offered him a role as a special adviser.
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NY said Sunday that Rodriguez, a 41-year-old designated hitter with 696 home runs, will be released following Friday’s homestand opener against Tampa Bay. In the divisional series against the Minnesota Twins, A-Rod’s first clutch hit came in the bottom of the 9th of Game 2 with the Yankees trailing 3-1 with Mark Teixeira on first.
One of the game’s greatest players, Rodriguez still has a year remaining on his contract and over $20 million, but NY essentially is pushing A-Rod out the door.
It is also worth noting that “A-Rod” chants could be heard throughout Fenway Park leading up to Thursday’s series-finale as Girardi refused to insert Rodriguez into the first two games of the series. “Not how I pictured it when I woke up this morning, but definitely I’m glad that run came in and we won the game”.
“I think it was just one of those things”.
“I’ve been preaching it, we’re fighting”, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.
At the beginning of his session with the media, Girardi was asked if Rodriguez would still be in the starting lineup Thursday after Boston scratched knuckleballer Steven Wright.
Boston Red Sox’s Xander Bogaerts, right, stands at the plate after striking out to end the baseball game, as New York Yankees’ Gary Sanchez, left, signals to teammate Dellin Betances, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Boston.
Rodriguez started his big league career with Seattle in 1994 and signed a $252 million, 10-year contract with Texas before the 2001 season, the largest agreement in baseball history.
Rodriguez said his mother and daughters were on their way to NY in advance of Friday’s game. “‘I should have caught it”. But A-Rod’s two career hits off the right-hander are home runs, including one May 27 at Tampa Bay.
Brad Ziegler (0-3) surrendered all three runs in the eighth. After the game, it was changed to a two-run double.
Sandy Leon’s leadoff double and Benintendi’s walk put runners on the corners for Dustin Pedroia with one out in the Boston ninth.
The Yankees announced Sunday that Rodriguez will be released following the game Friday night. New York RHP Nathan Eovaldi underwent an MRI exam Thursday and will seek a second opinion after leaving Wednesday’s start with right elbow discomfort.
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The Yankees’ other run came on Austin Romine’s solo homer to left in the third. To make room on the roster, reliever Nick Goody and utility man Rob Refsnyder were sent down. Yankees LHP CC Sabathia (6-9, 4.18 ERA) opposes Rays RHP Chris Archer (6-15, 4.26 ERA) and Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (4-11, 5.37 ERA) counters Red Sox LHP David Price (9-8, 4.34 ERA) on Friday.
