MLB on Sling TV: A-Rod’s Yankee Swan Song on FOX, Regional Action on Fox Sports Networks
(All times Eastern, starters subject to change)
Tampa Bay Rays (Archer 6-15, 4.26) at New York Yankees (Sabathia 6-9, 4.18)
7pm ET on FOX
And so it ends, one of the most bizarre careers in Yankee history, as Alex Rodriguez, among the 20 greatest everyday players in Major League Baseball plays his final game in pinstripes. The Yankees held a press conference on Sunday during which it was announced that A-Rod, who is signed through the 2017 season, would be playing his final game with the team Friday in Tampa, before transitioning into a front office role as a special advisor. That said, there have been reports that his hometown Marlins have had internal talks about adding him to their roster.
Trying to explain Alex Rodriguez to your grandkids will be almost impossible. There’s the 696 home runs, the PEDs, the 3 MVPs, the Centaur portrait, the slap, the kiss, the 14 All Star Games, Madonna, the 2021 runs scored, the popcorn, the 2,084 RBI, the brawl, the 10 Silver Sluggers, the shout… and all of this is to say nothing of his tortured relationship with Derek Jeter.
A-Rod finishes his career in the top 20 all time in WAR, Runs, Hits, Total Bases, Home Runs, RBI, Strikeouts, HBP, was the highest-paid player 11 times, will almost surely go down as the only player ever to twice sign the biggest contract in the game’s history. Yes, he used PEDs – a lot of them – and lied about it often, but he did his time, losing a whole season to suspension in 2014. It’s impossible to know when he started using them, and how much it affected his production, but given that he posted what was at the time the greatest season ever by a 20-year-old, leading the league in doubles (54), runs (141), batting average (.358), one has to admit that he was freakishly talented or had been using PEDs since high school.
You might not have liked him, but man alive, baseball’s gonna be a little less interesting without him.
Check out the baseball available on FOX Sports Regional Networks across the land for Sling Blue subscribers:
St. Louis Cardinals (Wainwright 9-6, 4.34) at Chicago Cubs (Arrieta 13-5, 2.59)
2:20pm ET on FOX Sports Midwest
Atlanta Braves (Foltynewicz 5-5, 4.37) at Washington Nationals (Strasburg 15-2, 2.80)
7:05pm ET on FOX Sports South
Tampa Bay Rays (Archer 6-15, 4.26) at New York Yankees (Sabathia 6-9, 4.18)
7:05pm ET on Fox Sports Sun & YES
Arizona Diamondbacks (Corbin 4-11, 5.37) at Boston Red Sox (Price 9-8, 4.34)
7:10pm ET on FOX Sports Arizona
Chicago White Sox (Rodon 2-8, 4.49) at Miami Marlins (Cashner 4-8, 4.96)
7:10pm ET on FOX Sports Florida
Los Angeles Angels (Skaggs 1-0, 2.04) at Cleveland Indians (Carrasco 7-6, 3.17)
7:10pm ET on FOX Sports West & SportsTime Ohio
San Diego Padres (Clemens 1-2, 4.61) at New York Mets (Verrett 3-7, 4.66)
7:10pm ET on FOX Sports San Diego
Detroit Tigers (Sanchez 6-11, 5.88) at Texas Rangers (Darvish 2-3, 2.78)
8:05pm ET on FOX Sports Detroit & FOX Sports Southwest
Cincinnati Reds (Bailey 1-1, 7.27) at Milwaukee Brewers (Nelson 6-11, 4.02)
8:10pm ET on FOX Sports Cincinnati & FOX Sports Wisconsin
Kansas City Royals (Ventura 7-9, 4.64) at Minnesota Twins (Gibson 4-6, 4.86)
8:10pm ET on FOX Sports Kansas City & FOX Sports North
Watch baseball on FOX and FOX Sports Regional Networks by subscribing to the Sling Blue. All stats courtesy ESPN and Baseball Reference.