A-Rod says he's retired, has no urge to play again
Alex Rodriguez will forever sit four home runs shy of 700.
While serving as a guest instructor for the New York Yankees on Tuesday, Rodriguez said he is retired and has no urge to play again.
"Yes I am," Rodriguez told reporters when asked if he is retired, according to David Lennon of Newsday.
Rodriguez hasn't appeared in a game since August when the Yankees granted the unconditional release from his player contract, and said it was too meaningful to him to retire a Yankee to think about playing for someone else.
"The pinstripes mean so much to me," Rodriguez said.
The 14-time All-Star acknowledged that, in the weeks following his breakup with the Yankees, he considered carrying on his career and even had a few offers. On Tuesday, however, he declared he's done and not coming back.
"Zero," A-Rod said when asked if he's felt the urge to return. "I haven't had those thoughts."
Rodriguez will be forever remembered as one of the greatest and most controversial players of all time. The 41-year-old was a 10-time Silver Slugger winner, five-time AL home run leader, four-time AL Hank Aaron Award winner, two-time Gold Glove winner, and 2009 World Series champion. He missed all of the 2014 season for violating the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy and attempting to interfere with the league's investigation.
Over 22 seasons, Rodriguez appeared in 2,784 games with three clubs - the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and Yankees - while earning over $441 million in salary. The Yankees are still paying him $21 million in 2017.
A-Rod ranks fourth on the all-time home run list with 696, behind Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Barry Bonds. He also ranks third all time in RBIs (2,086).
Rodriguez is expected to continue serving as a guest instructor for the Yankees, and has done work with FOX Sports as an analyst. He's also set to host a reality TV show titled "Back in the Game."
"I'm in a really good place," he said, according to Randy Miller of NJ.com. "My family ... I get to spend time with my mother. And I get to be part of the greatest organization in the world."