Is it over? Alex Rodriguez to retire following the 2017 season
Major League Baseball may have its first two-year retirement tour. New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez is planning on hanging up his cleats following the 2017 season, according to ESPN’s Andrew Marchand.
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The 40-year-old designated hitter is under contract through 2017, and would retire once his massive 10-year, $275 million deal with New York expires.
Rodriguez could change his mind before then, but once Rodriguez retires, he’ll leave behind one of the most complicated legacies in recent memory.
There’s no doubt Rodriguez had (still has) immense talent. He was essentially Bryce Harper before Bryce Harper. The numbers are eye-popping. Rodriguez has hit .297/.382/.554 over 21 years in the majors. He’s added 687 career home runs during that period. On numbers alone, he’s an easy choice for the baseball Hall of Fame.
It’s not that simple, of course. Rodriguez’s career has been marred by steroid use. He’s admitted to using steroids at times throughout his career, and was handed a 162 game suspension by commissioner Bud Selig, causing him to miss the entire 2014 season.
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Since then, Rodriguez has returned as somewhat of a folk hero. He managed a resurgent season in 2015, hitting 33 home runs, and has not been a distraction in the clubhouse. While those outside New York may always harbor angst against the superstar, A-Rod found a way to work himself into the good graces of Yankees fans again. If his production falls off over the next two seasons, though, it will be interesting to see how fans react once the ride is over.
That said, there’s a lot of time between now and the end of the 2017 season, and Rodriguez could change his mind based on how things play out. If, say, Rodriguez finishes that year with 737 career home runs, would he continue his career in order to try and beat the home run record?
That would probably be tough, as Rodriguez would have to average 30 home runs over the next two years, but it’s worth considering. He did hit 33 last season, and even though he’s old, he’s a generational talent. It’s unlikely, but it’s A-Rod. Nothing he does should shock us at this point.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
