NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees won their final game as a team.
Rodriguez was in the starting lineup for his final game, batting third as the designated hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees won 6-3.
Rodriguez was honored in a pregame ceremony Friday. He said he has not thought about trying to continue his career with another team.
New York announced last weekend that this would be the final game in pinstripes for the 41-year-old, who will be released. The Yankees owe him $27 million as part of his $275 million, 10-year contract, which runs through next season.
On a night filled with nostalgia as the Yankees and Rodriguez turn to uncertain futures, baseball’s most notorious star of the last two decades drove a 96 mph fastball from Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer into the right-center field gap in the first inning of New York’s 6-3 win Friday.
And with the sellout crowd of 46,459 chanting “We want A-Rod!” the 41-year-old designated hitter trotted to third base for the first time in 15 months at the start of the ninth inning as the organist played “Thanks for Memory.”
After this game he will move into the front office as special advisor and instructor.
Rodriguez earned $317 million and won one World Series after joining the team in the winter of 2004.
