Yankees celebrate A-Rod's 3,000th hit with brief ceremony

Published September 25, 2015

Sep 13, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez (13) waves to the crowd with his family present after receiving gifts for his 3000 hit prior to the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK -- Three months, $3.5 million and 75 games later, the New York Yankees celebrated Alex Rodriguez's 3,000th hit in a brief and subdued pregame ceremony before a relatively sparse Yankee Stadium crowd.

Rodriguez hit a solo homer off Detroit's Justin Verlander on June 19 to reach 3,000, joining Wade Boggs and Derek Jeter as the only players to reach the mark with a home run.

The team reached an agreement with Rodriguez on July 3 to make $3.5 million in charitable contributions, settling a dispute over a $6 million marketing payment contemplated for his 660th home run. The sides had an acrimonious relationship in 2013 and 2014 during baseball's Biogenesis drug investigation, which led to a one-season suspension of A-Rod.

The ceremony lacked much of the pomp of the ones this year honoring Bernie Williams, Willie Randolph and Met Stottlemyre, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte. Following a brief introduction over the stadium's public address system, Rodriguez received a commemorative crystal from Yankees Chief Operating Officer Lon Trost and jewelry for himself and his daughters from owner Hal Steinbrenner. A special logo celebrating the achievement was displayed on the video board.

His mother, brother, sister and his two daughters, joined Rodriguez on the field for the seven-minute ceremony. Rodriguez did not speak.

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