Alex Rodriguez Disappointed Yankees Haven’t Retired His Number

Alex Rodriguez ended his career with the Yankees, and he’ll likely be more remembered in the pinstripes by most Major League Baseball fans, which is why the 2009 World Series champion wished he earned more recognition from the franchise.

Rodriguez’s biggest controversy came when he was in New York, and it’s possible the Yankees want to distance himself from the FOX Sports analyst. However, when Joey Gallo was given No. 13 in the 2021 season, it didn’t sit right for the three-time American League MVP.

“It did not make me happy,” Rodriguez said in a Thursday interview on the “Evan & Tiki show” on WFAN-AM in New York, per Sports Illustrated.

New York has 24 retired numbers, including the No. 8 twice. Rodriguez admitted his on-air criticism of the Yankees “doesn’t help” his case, but he still believes he deserves to be enshrined by the Bronx Bombers for his accomplishments with the franchise.

“Yeah, of course it bothers me,” Rodriguez said. “It’s less about bother, but of course it would be nice to be recognized in one of the coolest places to be, in Yankee history, but that’s not my decision.”

Rodriguez did begin his career with the Seattle Mariners and was with the Texas Rangers before he became a Yankee, and those franchises don’t have his number retired. He also only won one World Series compared to Andy Pettitte, who arguably shouldn’t have his number retired but did win five World Series in New York.

There’s certainly an argument to be made that too many numbers are getting retired, but there’s bound to be a contingent of Yankee fans who believe Rodriguez should be the 25th number retired in franchise history.