Alex Rodriguez will play his final major league game with the New York Yankees in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays next Friday at Yankee Stadium.

  • Alex Rodriguez to play final major league game next Friday
  • A-Rod will play against Tampa Bay at Yankee Stadium on Friday night
  • He will then become a special adviser and instructor with the team

Rodriguez and the club made the announcement before Sunday's game against Cleveland. A-Rod will become a special adviser and instructor with the team through December 31, 2017.

“After spending several days discussing this plan with Alex, I am pleased that he will remain a part of our organization moving forward and transition into a role in which I know he can flourish,” said Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. “We have an exciting group of talented young players at every level of our system. Our job as an organization is to utilize every resource possible to allow them to reach their potential, and I expect Alex to directly contribute to their growth and success. Baseball runs through his blood. He’s a tireless worker and an astute student of the game. Alex has already proven to be a willing and effective mentor to many players who have come through our clubhouse, and I am confident that this next phase of his baseball life will bring out the best in Alex and the next generation of Yankees.”

The 41-year-old designated hitter, a three-time AL MVP and 14-time All-Star, is hitting .204 this season with nine home runs and 29 RBIs in 216 at-bats. His worsening slump finally relegated him to the bench for most of the past month, with A-Rod getting only one start and seven at-bats in 14 games since July 22.

When the fourth-place Yankees (55-55) traded veterans Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, Carlos Beltran and Ivan Nova leading up to last Monday's trade deadline, they made it clear they were turning toward a youth movement.

Rodriguez has 696 home runs and trails only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714) on the career list.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.