New York Yankees fading star Alex Rodriguez might be in his final week as a major league ballplayer, but he won’t be getting much of a chance to say goodbye on the field.
After it was announced Sunday that Rodriguez would be released Friday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi told the media Tuesday the 41-year-old will not be playing in the first two games of New York’s series against the Boston Red Sox, per ESPN.com’s Andrew Marchand.
Rodriguez spoke with the media shortly after learning about his playing schedule, per Marchand: “I’m disappointed. When I heard him say I can actually play in all four games, I was really excited to get some at-bats. I don’t know what happened.”
He was referring to Girardi‘s comments during Sunday’s announcement in which he stated that if the veteran “wants to play in every game, I’ll find a way.”
The New York manager recanted those statements Tuesday, saying he got caught up in the emotional moment.
Instead, Rodriguez will play Thursday night against Boston knuckleballer Steven Wright and Friday, the supposed final game of his career, against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.
But he wasn’t sure if it is going to be the end when asked about it Tuesday: “I don’t know that answer right now.”
He hasn’t started a game since July 31 and has had only one at-bat in August.
With what looks like two more games remaining in a controversial yet Hall of Fame-worthy career numberswise, Rodriguez is four home runs short of 700, as his days as a player look destined to be coming to an unceremonious end.
Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.
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