Editing Alex Rodriguez (section)

====2015====
In the off-season, during the week of January 19, 2015, it was reported that Rodriguez met with new [[Commissioner of Baseball]] [[Rob Manfred]]. The pair reportedly had a "positive discussion...in which Rodriguez apologized, while promising to behave in the future".<ref>{{cite web|last=Marchand|first=Andrew|date=January 24, 2015|title=A-Rod meets with Rob Manfred|url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/12221039/alex-rodriguez-new-york-yankees-meets-rob-manfred|access-date=January 24, 2015|website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> On February 17, 2015, Rodriguez issued a hand-written letter of apology to "Major League Baseball, the Yankees, the Steinbrenner family, the Players Association and you, the fans".<ref>{{cite web|date=February 17, 2015|title=A-Rod issues hand-written letter of apology to fans|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/alex-rodriguezs-letter-of-apology-to-fans/c-109501412|access-date=February 17, 2015|work=[[MLB.com]]|archive-date=February 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218010131/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/109501412/alex-rodriguezs-letter-of-apology-to-fans|url-status=live}}</ref>

Rodriguez reported to New York Yankees' 2015 spring training camp three days early.<ref>{{cite web|last=Matthews|first=Wallace|date=February 23, 2015|title=A-Rod reports to Yanks in Tampa|url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/12369495/alex-rodriguez-reports-new-york-yankees-following-season-long-suspension|access-date=February 23, 2015|website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=February 23, 2015|title=Alex Rodriguez Reports To Yankees Spring Training|url=https://www.courant.com/spots/baseball/hc-alex-rodriguez-reports-yankees-0223-20150223-story.html|access-date=February 23, 2015|website=[[Hartford Courant]]|agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Hurcomb|first=Michael|date=February 23, 2015|title=A-Rod reports three days early for spring training with Yankees|url=http://fantasynews.cbssports.com/fantasybaseball/update/25079003/a-rod-reports-three-days-early-for-spring-training-with-yankees|access-date=February 23, 2015|website=[[CBS Sports]]}}</ref> Girardi planned to play Rodriguez at first base during spring training to assess whether he could be played there, a first for his career.<ref>{{cite news|last=Witz|first=Billy|date=February 27, 2015|title=Alex Rodriguez attends first-base school, but a key item is absent|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/sports/baseball/alex-rodriguez-attends-first-base-school-but-a-key-item-is-absent.html|access-date=March 4, 2015|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Newman|first=Andy|date=March 3, 2015|title=New York Today: Boys of Spring|url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/03/new-york-today-boys-of-spring/|access-date=March 4, 2015|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

Rodriguez played his first game after his suspension on opening day against the [[2015 Toronto Blue Jays season|Blue Jays]] at Yankee Stadium. He served as the designated hitter, going 1 for 2 with a walk as the Yankees lost to the Blue Jays 1–6.<ref>{{cite news|last=Marchand|first=Andrew|date=April 6, 2015|title=Alex Rodriguez receives loud ovation in Yankee Stadium return|work=[[ESPN]]|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/12628754/alex-rodriguez-new-york-yankees-receives-loud-ovation-yankee-stadium-return|access-date=April 7, 2015}}</ref> On April 17, his first multi-HR game – and third and fourth home runs – of the season included a blast off [[Nate Karns]] of [[2015 Tampa Bay Rays season|Tampa Bay]] that traveled {{convert|471|ft}}, providing four total RBIs in a 5–4 win.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Reiter|first=Ben|date=April 17, 2015|title=Alex Rodriguez's resurgent year continues with monster night vs. Rays|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2015/04/17/alex-rodriguez-home-runs-comeback-yankees-rays|access-date=April 18, 2015|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref> In a pinch-hit appearance against the [[2015 Boston Red Sox season|Red Sox]] on May 1, Rodriguez hit his 660th career home run off reliever [[Junichi Tazawa]], tying [[Willie Mays]] for fourth place on the all-time home run list.<ref>{{cite news|last=Feinsand|first=Mark|date=May 2, 2015|title=Alex Rodriguez hits home run No. 660, tying Willie Mays for fourth on all-time list as Yankees beat Red Sox, 3–2|work=[[New York Daily News]]|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/alex-rodriguez-hits-home-run-no-660-tying-willie-mays-article-1.2207425|access-date=April 29, 2016}}</ref> On May 7, Rodriguez hit his 661st career home run off [[Baltimore Orioles|Orioles]] pitcher [[Chris Tillman]] for sole possession of fourth place on the all-time home run list.<ref>{{cite web|author=Zucker|first=Joseph|date=May 7, 2015|title=Alex Rodriguez Passes Willie Mays for 4th Place on MLB's All-Time Home Run List|url=http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2452843-alex-rodriguez-passes-willie-mays-for-4th-place-on-mlbs-all-time-home-run-list|access-date=June 19, 2015|work=[[Bleacher Report]]}}</ref> On May 27, Rodriguez set an AL record for the most career RBI, passing Lou Gehrig, also moving him into third on the all-time list.<ref>{{cite web|last=Marchand|first=Andrew|date=May 27, 2015|title=Alex Rodriguez of New York Yankees takes sole possession of all-time AL RBI list|url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/12962923/alex-rodriguez-new-york-yankees-takes-sole-possession-all-al-rbi-list|access-date=May 27, 2015|website=[[ESPN]]|publisher=}}</ref>

With his 666th career home run against [[Bud Norris]] of the Orioles on June 13, Rodriguez drove in his 2,000th and 2,001st career runs. However, opinions varied on whether he was the second ([[Elias Sports Bureau]], trailing Aaron), third (MLB, trailing Aaron and Ruth),<ref>{{cite web|last=Hoch|first=Bryan|date=June 13, 2015|title=A-Rod passes 2,000 RBIs with homer|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/alex-rodriguez-passes-2000-rbis-with-homer/c-130475370|access-date=June 14, 2015|work=[[MLB.com]]|archive-date=June 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616192932/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/130475370/alex-rodriguez-passes-2000-rbis-with-homer|url-status=live}}</ref> or fourth player (Baseball-Reference.com, trailing Aaron, Ruth, and [[Cap Anson]]) in MLB history to attain 2,000 RBIs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Career leaders & records for runs batted in|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/RBI_career.shtml|access-date=June 14, 2015|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref> Rodriguez's next home run was also his [[3,000 hit club|3,000th career hit]], making him the 29th player to reach the milestone. He hit it against the [[2015 Detroit Tigers season|Tigers]]' [[Justin Verlander]] in a 7–2 win, joining [[Wade Boggs]] and Jeter – both former Yankees – as the only players to hit a home run for his 3,000th hit.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hoch|first=Bryan|date=June 20, 2015|title=A-Rod: 3rd to homer for 3,000th hit|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/a-rod-third-to-homer-for-3000th-hit/c-131700474|access-date=June 20, 2015|work=[[MLB.com]]|archive-date=June 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623041013/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/131700474/a-rod-third-to-homer-for-3000th-hit|url-status=live}}</ref> With his next hit on June 20, Rodriguez surpassed [[Roberto Clemente]], the eleventh player in MLB history to have recorded 3,000 hits.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fehr|first=Israel|date=June 21, 2015|title=Yankees trounce Tigers as A-Rod passes Roberto Clemente on all-time hit list|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/yankees-trounce-tigers-as-a-rod-passes-roberto-clemente-on-all-time-hit-list-032150646.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621223644/https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/yankees-trounce-tigers-as-a-rod-passes-roberto-clemente-on-all-time-hit-list-032150646.html|archive-date=June 21, 2015|access-date=June 22, 2015|website=[[Yahoo! Sports]]}}</ref> On July 25, against the [[2015 Minnesota Twins season|Twins]] in [[Minnesota]], and two days before his 40th birthday, Rodríguez became the fifth-oldest player to hit three home runs in one game.<ref>{{cite web|last=Nathan|first=Alec|date=July 25, 2015|title=Alex Rodriguez hits 3 home runs vs. Twins|url=http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2531408-alex-rodriguez-hits-3-home-runs-vs-twins-stats-highlights-and-reaction|access-date=July 25, 2015|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|publisher=}}</ref>

In his first 95 games of the season, Rodriguez hit 24 homers and produced an OPS of .930.<ref name="mccarron052616">{{cite web|last=McCarron|first=Andrew|date=May 26, 2016|title=Yankees should sit Alex Rodriguez more often when he returns|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/mccarron-designated-sitter-perfect-role-alex-rodriguez-article-1.2650380|access-date=May 28, 2016|newspaper=[[New York Daily News]]}}</ref> After being mired in a 72-at-bat slump without a home run until August 18 against the Twins, he hit his 25th home run which was also his 25th career grand slam, extending his major league record. The home run also drove in the go-ahead runs for an 8–4 Yankees win.<ref>{{cite news|last=Witz|first=Billy|date=August 18, 2015|title=Yankees' Alex Rodriguez ends drought with a pivotal grand slam|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/19/sports/baseball/alex-rodriguezs-grand-slam-comes-at-right-time.html|access-date=August 23, 2015|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
[[File:Alex Rodriguez on August 2, 2016 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Rodriguez with the Yankees in 2016]]

From August 1 until the end of the season, Rodriguez appeared in 56 games, batting .191, .678 OPS, nine home runs, and struck out 59 times in 183 at-bats.<ref name=mccarron052616/> The first base experiment yielded two total appearances in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last=Miller|first=Randy|date=May 26, 2016|title=Alex Rodriguez returning: Can Yankees DH fill in at 1st in pinch?|url=http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2016/05/alex_rodriguez_is_back_can_yankees_dh_fill_in_at_1.html|access-date=May 28, 2016|website=[[NJ.com]]}}</ref> He finished with 33 home runs, 86 RBI, 131 hits, and a .252 batting average.<ref name="b-r" /> He led the Yankees in home runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, on-base plus slugging, and bases-on-balls. Rodriguez reached 30+ home runs for the 15th time in his career, tying Aaron for the most 30-home-run seasons in history.<ref>{{cite web|last=Snyder|first=Matt|date=September 8, 2015|title=A-Rod joins Hank Aaron as only players with 15 30-home run seasons|url=http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25295044/a-rod-joins-hank-aaron-as-only-players-with-15-30-hr-seasons|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909111342/http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25295044/a-rod-joins-hank-aaron-as-only-players-with-15-30-hr-seasons|archive-date=September 9, 2015|access-date=May 28, 2016|website=[[CBS Sports]]}}</ref>