Call to the pen
Fansided

New York Yankees: Alex Rodriguez, First Baseman?

By Jason Evans

Jun 29, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez (13) during the filming of a commercial at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 29, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez (13) during the filming of a commercial at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

New York Yankees DH Alex Rodriguez will start to take ground balls at first in order to get more playing time.

The phasing out of Alex Rodriguez by the New York Yankees began one year later than everyone thought it would. After his resurgent season in 2015, 2016 has been the total opposite as Rodriguez has seen the DH role go to Carlos Beltran and right field go to Aaron Hicks (yikes) and Rob Refsnyder.

Now, in an effort to get on the field more, A-Rod will be taking grounders at first base. Two weeks before his 41st birthday. According to the New York Daily News:

"Alex Rodriguez’s first half closed with him in a familiar position: sitting on the bench. So he plans to spend part of his All-Star break doing something about it.According to a source, A-Rod grabbed one of Mark Teixeira’s first-base gloves on his way out of the clubhouse Sunday, which he’ll use to take grounders at first base during the four-day break.Rodriguez also plans to work with infield coach Joe Espada beginning Friday, the source said, as he looks to add fielding versatility to his current DH-only arsenal."

Rodriguez is hitting just .198 vs right-handed pitching and started just one of the Yankees’ final 10 games before the All-Star Break. He hit .245 vs righties last season.

A-Rod did play one game at first base last season, but after that the Yankees felt it best to keep A-Rod strictly at DH.

Mark Teixeira can’t stay healthy and the Yankees don’t really have a backup first baseman. Refsnyder has been learning on the job and his inexperience hasn’t bit the Yankees quite yet. Because A-Rod and Beltran should be full-time DHs at this point, the inflexibility of the Yankees’ roster continues to bite them.

Beltran is an All-Star this year and A-Rod has been riding the pine.

Next: 10 prospects that could contribute down the stretch

I don’t think A-Rod will be able to be even an adequate first baseman at soon-to-be 41 with multiple hip surgeries. Good for him for trying to get out there though.

Home/New York Yankees