Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez announces retirement, will play final game Friday

The New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez announced Sunday morning that he will play his final game at the end of the week, culminating a career in which the three-time MVP etched his name among the greatest in the sport’s history yet became a polarizing figure amid being suspended for a full season for steroid use.

Rodriguez’s farewell will take place Friday at Yankee Stadium against the Tampa Bay Rays. Following the game, he will be unconditionally released in order to sign a deal to become a special advisor with the club.

“This is a tough day. I love this game, and I love this team, and today I’m saying goodbye to both,” said Rodriguez as he choked back tears during a news conference at Yankee Stadium with his teammates in attendance. “Saying goodbye may be the hardest part of the job, but that’s what I’m doing today.”

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Rodriguez ranks fourth all-time in home runs with 696, behind only Barry Bonds (762), Henry Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714), but the designated hitter hasn’t been in the lineup since Aug. 2, fueling speculation his career was reaching its end.

The five-time home run champion is hitting just .204 this season, and the Yankees (55-55) are in fourth place in the AL East, seven and a half games behind the division leading Baltimore Orioles and six games out of the wild card.

The Yankees play a three-game series against the arch rival Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park beginning on Tuesday. It’s unclear if Rodriguez will play in that series, but he said management has assured him he will get at least a few at-bats on Friday.

Manager Joe Girardi also didn’t rule out playing Rodriguez, who moved from shortstop to third base upon joining the Yankees in 2004, in the field in his swan song.

“I don’t think any player ever wants to get to this point,” Girardi said. “Alex talked about it. None of us ever wants to take the uniform off. It was easy to pencil his name in the lineup every day, hitting third and playing third base and never have to worry about where I was going to put him, never worry about the effort that I was going to get, never worry about the production I was going to get.”