Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez moved a step closer to tying Willie Mays in fourth place on baseball’s all-time home run leaderboard. Serving as the DH in Friday night’s lineup against the Rays, Rodriguez clubbed a solo home run in the top of the second inning against Nate Karns, a no-doubter to left-center.
Rodriguez now has 657 home runs in his career, leaving him three shy of tying Mays at 660. Rodriguez has a marketing deal in his contract that calls for him to be paid $6 million for each of five home run milestones, starting with 660. That is followed by 714, 755, 762, and 763. The Yankees have been threatening to go to an arbitrator in an attempt to get out of paying him any of his $6 million awards.
Rodriguez, 39, has been one of the few bright spots for the Yankees, who entered Friday’s game at 3-6. Rodriguez carried a .286/.394/.571 triple-slash line along with two home runs and seven RBI in 33 plate appearances.
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