Tyler Austin and Aaron Judge hit historic back-to-back homers in Yankees debut (VIDEO)

A-Rod who?

Alex Rodriguez's tears hadn't even dried on the infield of Yankee Stadium when the Bombers' two newest members started a fresh era of power with historic back-to-back home runs Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.

Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin showed fans that the future looks bright for the Yankees — and put the drama of the controversial slugger firmly in the rear view mirror after hitting the dingers in both players' first at-bats.

Just a day ago Judge and Austin were taking swings as top prospects with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and now, less than 14 hours after A-Rod's going away party, the two new outfielders helped the Yankees win their fourth straight game with an 8-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Welcome to The Show boys.

The behemoth Judge (he's 6'7" and 230 lbs.) blasted this 446-foot shot over the center field wall and was still able to get the ball back.

Aaron Judge's first career homer was an absolute bomb. He too got the baseball back #HereComesTheJudge pic.twitter.com/y2N5SDv90E

— Bronx Bombers (@BronxBomberBlog) August 13, 2016

Here's Austin's jack which got things started:

Tyler Austin's first career homer in his first career at-bat. He got the baseball back! #AustinPowers pic.twitter.com/lNb9kugCFb

— Bronx Bombers (@BronxBomberBlog) August 13, 2016

Suddenly that $27 million tab the Yankees owe Rodriguez doesn't seem to hurt as much.

Derek Jeter reaches out to A-Rod, gets silence from former teammate

Alex Rodriguez, appearing on Michael Kay's ESPN Radio show before his final game at Fenway Park on Thursday, was asked if he had talked with “Derek” since the 41-year-old A-Rod announced that Friday would be his last day as a Yankees player.

“With who?” Rodriguez said.

“Derek Jeter,” he was told.

“About what?” Rodriguez responded to what came across like a diss towards the Yankee icon.

It seemed more likely that Rodriguez didn't hear the question clearly and acknowledged Jeter had reached out to him, but his “inbox is completely full,” so he didn't get back to his one-time BFF.

The two were close friends when they were rookie shortstops more than 20 years ago, but the relationship soured over the years even after Rodriguez bumped himself to third base in deference to Jeter when he joined the Yankees via a trade from the Rangers in 2004.

Still, A-Rod is managing to get a little love in the unlikeliest of places.

Red Sox fans sarcastically serenaded the soon-to-be-gone Yankee with a chant of "We want A-Rod" before they turned it into a chorus of boos when he finally got up to the plate.

"We want A-Rod!" #Yankees #RedSox pic.twitter.com/a5CuaSI2Sv

— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) August 10, 2016

It is not exactly clear what Rodriguez will do after abruptly ending his career when the Yankees release him from his contract following Friday's game against the Rays at Yankee Stadium, but, surprisingly, he wasn't granted a start at third base for his final game.

“CC [Sabathia] is on the mound [Friday],” Rodriguez said after manager Joe Girardi bluntly said no to A-Rod's request to play the hot corner one last time. 

“There’s a lot of history there, and I thought it would be a fun way to go out. The fans of New York remember me more as third baseman. … I can at least make routine plays. That would’ve been fun for me and our fans.”

It would be fun to see A-Rod at third one last time. Just don't expect Jeets.

A-Rod walks up to a different Prince song for each at-bat Thursday

There was no moment of silence or official recognition of Prince’s death at Yankee Stadium Thursday night, but the ballpark’s PA system and Alex Rodriguez did plenty to honor the legendary artist after he died at his Minnesota home earlier in the day.

A dozen of Prince’s songs played over the ballpark’s sound system during the game against the A's, beginning with “Let’s Go Crazy” shortly before the Yankees took the field. Other Prince songs including “1999,” “Batdance,” “Raspberry Beret” and “When Doves Cry” played in between innings.

And one  player did personally honor Prince. Alex Rodriguez used four of the Purple One's songs as his walk-up music for each at-bat.

A-Rod told reporters he used a different Prince song for each at-bat "as a tribute to one of the great legends."

Here is A-Rod's playlist:

First at-bat: Erotic City (instrumental only)
Second at-bat: Kiss
Third at-bat: Pop Life
Fourth at-bat: Alphabet Street

Earlier in the day, A-Rod tweeted out his own sadness at the music world's loss:

Such sad news about @Prince passing. Incredible artist and an inspiration. #RIPPrince

— Alex Rodriguez (@AROD) April 21, 2016

It definitely didn't feel like 1999 in the Bronx after A-Rod went 0-for-2 with two walks and the last place Yankees (5-9) lost once again.

A-Rod shows off quarterback skills on Fox Sports set, breaks high-tech video screen in process (VIDEO)

Fox Sports recently hired Alex Rodriguez as an analyst for their World Series coverage and, on Sunday, thought it would be cute to have him visit the Fox NFL Sunday set.

To liven things up, the Fox broadcast crew gave A-Rod a football and asked him to show off the quarterbacking skills he hasn't used since high school. The Yankees DH was then asked to throw a pass to Jay Glazer in a studio filled with millions of dollars of high-tech video equipment.

Well, you can guess how that turned out.

.@AROD over-throws @JayGlazer & breaks a monitor! What a first day at FOX! http://t.co/h3kvSVTUan

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) October 18, 2015

Not a problem for A-Rod to reimburse the network. As Yankees fans so begrudgedly know, Rodriguez still has two years on his contract and about $50 million more coming his way.

85-year-old Yankees fan takes parting shot at A-Rod in obituary

Alex Rodriguez's comeback season ended with boos at Yankee Stadium after he struck out against the Astros Luke Gregerson in Tuesday night's AL Wild Card Game.

And if that was a slightly louder boo you heard from above, you might be right.

A-Rod did almost everything right to gain back the trust and affection of Yankees fans after his steroid suspension in 2014, but one Yankee fan by the name of Helen Fowler wants him to know that she will never be a fan of his — even on her deathbed.

Fowler recently died at the age of 85 and used her obituary in the Star Ledger on Sept. 30 to take one last parting shot at the Yankees pariah.

In the middle of the obit it reads: "Mrs. Fowler was a former member of the Cranford First Aid Squad and a lifelong Yankees fan, with the exception of Alex Rodriguez." 

The obituary website also includes a audio version which lets you hear her dissing A-Rod in a computerized voice that hilariously mispronounces Rodriguez's last name.

At least old Helen didn't go out with a whiff. 

Braves, Yankees hold moment of silence for man who died booing A-Rod (VIDEO)

The Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees held a moment of silence before Sunday's game at Turner Field for for the baseball fan who fell over a balcony and died while booing Alex Rodriguez Saturday night.  

A-Rod was one of the players paying their respects to Braves fan Gregory Murrey of Alpharetta, Georgia, who plummeted from the top deck of the stadium during the seventh inning of the game between the Braves and Yankees the night before.

Witnesses claim the 60-year-old insurance broker was screaming at A-Rod — who was on deck and getting ready to pinch hit for the Yankees at the time — when Murrey lost his balance and fell. 

Umpires did not stop the game and play resumed as the injured Murrey was taken to the hospital where he died a short time later.

While the flag flew at half-staff at Turner Field on Sunday, the Braves displayed a photo of Murrey on the video board and observed a moment of silence before the afternoon game.

After the game Rodriguez told reporters: "It’s sad. Upsetting, for sure. My prayers go out to his family." 

Murrey's son, Jason, released a statement to the New York Daily News on behalf of his family.

"Gregory "Ace" Murrey was a husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, and friend to many,' the statement read. 'He dearly loved his family, Atlanta, and the Atlanta Braves.

"The night Greg passed away, he was doing one of his favorite things — watching the Braves.

"At this time, the family wishes for you to respect their privacy as they mourn the loss of such an extraordinarily wonderful man."

Murrey was a season ticket holder at the stadium for 23 years.   

R.I.P.

A-Rod obliges crowd with curtain call after 25th career grand slam (VIDEO)

Alex Rodriguez had talked in recent days about feeling lousy at the plate, citing his 7-for-53 slump through 14 games in August as "stinking up the joint."

But when his team needed him most Tuesday night, down three runs with only eight outs to go, A-Rod did what he does best and delivered one of his biggest hits of his remarkable comeback season.

With one mighty swing of the bat, Rodriguez hit the 25th grand slam of his career turning a three-run deficit into a one-run lead as the Yankees went on to an 8-4 victory over the Twins.

In return, the electrified Yankee Stadium crowd gave the slugger a robust curtain call.

Tonight was grand. https://t.co/igmgxocgTq

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 19, 2015

The seventh-inning home run was A-Rod's first since he went deep on his 40th birthday back on July 27. 

“I certainly felt great,” he said later. “A home run feels great; a grand slam feels pretty awesome — especially to do it late and to help us win a game.”

The victory was the Yankees’ fifth in the past six games, keeping them in sole possession of first place in the AL East over the Toronto Blue Jays.

It smells like victory in the Bronx now.

Texas woman pays tribute to A-Rod's ... butt (PHOTO)

Alex Rodriguez turned 40 on Monday and celebrated by slamming his 24th home run of the season during a game between the Yankees and Rangers in Arlington.

And one Texas woman in Yankee gear, apparently with an interest in more than his bulging stat sheets, held up a sign referencing the Yankee slugger's other assets.

Sorry. But here's what all the fuss was about.

Just @AROD hanging out on his 40th birthday. pic.twitter.com/FrAqxViXgJ

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 28, 2015

Wouldn't just a simple birthday wish suffice?

A-Rod hits 3 HRs, including one into third deck at Target Field (VIDEO)

Alex Rodriguez might have been left off the All-Star team this summer and, love him or hate him, when it comes to Comeback Player of the Year, it looks like the Yankees DH already has the trophy in hand.

A-Rod not only blasted three home runs to help the Yankees to an 8-5 win over the Twins Saturday night, he jacked one that traveled 452 feet into the third deck at Target Field.

And, believe it or not, it is only A-Rod's third longest home run of the season. He hit homers that traveled 471 feet and 460 feet earlier this season, both back in April.



Minnesota led 5-0 when A-Rod hit his first home run. But, in the seventh inning, he hit another homer off Tommy Milone, this one a two-run blast, that brought the Yankees to within one.

Then, with the Yankees dangling by that run in the ninth, Rodriguez hit his third dinger of the night to tie the game.

The three-homer game is the fifth of A-Rod's career and third with the Yankees. 

Get out the pee cup.

A-Rod rookie bat up for auction with bids starting at $10,000: Report

Call it striking while the iron is hot or, in this case, while the A-Rod is smoking.

A Southern California sports memorabilia company is auctioning off the bat Alex Rodriguez used to notch his first major-league hit and — considering all the steroid accusations, a season-long drug-suspension and that whole Minotaur painting embarrassment — the timing couldn't be better.

“Now that he has passed Willie Mays on the home run list and he has joined the exclusive 3,000-hit club, A-Rod is in collectors’ good graces again,” SCP Auctions spokesman Terry Melia told the Daily News. “He’s not looked at in the same light as when he was suspended. He paid his dues and he is trying to earn back their admiration.”

And the overachieving A-Rod has been lethal at the plate this season. After agreeing to shift to a full-time DH role, Rodriguez has regained his status as one of the American League's most feared hitters. On Wednesday, he became one of only 10 players in MLB history with 16 seasons of at least 20 home runs.

Rodriguez was an 18-year-old rookie with the Seattle Mariners, playing in his just his second big league game, when he hit a single off Red Sox pitcher Sergio Valdez at Fenway Park on July 9, 1994. Rodriguez played in 17 games that season, which was infamously cut short by MLB’s season-ending strike.

Rodriguez signed and inscribed “1st ML Base Hit” on the black Louisville Slugger, which he later gave to Mill Creek Sports, a Seattle-area sports memorabilia company that sold A-Rod memorabilia early in his career. The company sold the bat to a collector who held on to it for 20 years.

Melia said the collector, whom he declined to identify, is selling the bat now because the market for A-Rod collectibles may never be higher. Rodriguez not only seems intent on cleaning up his scandal-stained image, but he also has 20 home runs and 54 RBI.

The bat comes with a Mill Creek letter of authenticity signed by Rodriguez, who misidentifies the date of his first hit as “7/8/94.”

Bidding on the bat will start at $10,000, but Melia said the company expects it might sell for double that or more. Online bidding begins Aug. 5 and concludes on Aug. 22.

Fan who caught A-Rod's 3,000th hit says he was assaulted in Yankee Stadium stands: Report

The notorious ball collector who snagged Alex Rodriguez's 3,000th hit last month said a man assaulted him in the right-field stands before Wednesday's game at Yankee Stadium.

Zack Hample, who claims to have snagged over 8,000 baseballs for his home run collection, posted a photo of himself bearing long scratches on the right side of his neck. Hample told NJ Advance Media that he also suffered scrapes on his back and forearms.

I'm scraped up in various places. The @Yankees Stadium medical staff says these are fingernail scratches: pic.twitter.com/EqO773iZj1

— Zack Hample (@zack_hample) July 22, 2015

The Yankees, however, said there was no clear aggressor in the confrontation, but said the 37-year-old Hample did have marks on his body which their staff reported.

Hample, who has a reputation for being a little overly aggressive in his battles for the baseballs, has become a sort of a pariah with fans in the Yankee Stadium bleachers where he lurks. So his bizarre tale might hold some truth.

The self-proclaimed 'King of Snagging' said the attacker "was basically throwing punches and absolutely assaulting me like a maniac."

Unfortunately the answer to "Have you ever gotten into a fight for a ball?" is now yes. I was flat-out assaulted. pic.twitter.com/MADnmIiTBy

— Zack Hample (@zack_hample) July 22, 2015

The Yankees released the following statement regarding the incident:

An incident took place between Zack Hample and another fan during batting practice when an Orioles player attempted to toss a ball into the right-field stands. After a brief altercation, the two parties were separated. 

After carefully reviewing video recordings of the incident — in which no punches were thrown and there was not a clear determination of who was the aggressor — Yankees operations personnel reassigned the other fan, along with his father, to a different seat location within the stadium. Reports were also taken by security officials.

Otherwise, Hample said he felt fine and returned to his season-ticket seat in right field for the game against the Orioles.

The slightly-framed Hample's critics have said he's relentless in his chase for balls, but he claims he's never gotten into a physical altercation for a ball before. 

Hample said Orioles player Miguel Gonzales recognized him on Wednesday and tried throwing him a ball three separate times Wednesday. But a pair of fans — including the one Hample said assaulted him — repeatedly struck him before stadium security stepped in and broke up the alleged attack.

"For 10, 15, 20 seconds, he was trying to injure me," said Hample, who later caught Ryan Flaherty's third-inning home run.

What's really surprising is that he never scuffled before. Those Bleacher Creatures don't play.

A-Rod got really excited about Yankees win on Sunday (GIF)

Alex Rodriguez my have tied Lou Brock with career base hit No. 3,023 for 24th place on the all-time hits list Sunday, but what really made A-Rod happy was watching Mark Teixeira deposit a home run over the right field wall helping the Yankees take the three-game series from the Mariners.

Who likes series victories? @AROD likes series victories. #PinstripePride pic.twitter.com/BqoDBJqiqA

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 19, 2015

Tex's one-run shot off of Fernando Rodney in the eighth inning broke a 1-1 tie and gave the Yankees their fourth straight series win.



Who likes winning? A-Rod likes winning.

Yankees to donate $150,000 to charity in exchange for A-Rod's 3000th hit ball

Alex Rodriguez will finally be reunited with the milestone 3000th hit ball which has been held hostage by a notorious baseball collector who finally came to terms with the New York Yankees for its release.

The Yankees announced they will hold a press conference before Friday night's game against the Rays at Yankee Stadium which will feature ballhawk Zack Hample handing over the celebrated ball to A-Rod.

In return, the Yankees will make a $150,000 donation to Hample's favorite charity, Pitch In For Baseball, in exchange for the ball's return.

.@zack_hample, fan who retrieved Alex Rodriguez’s 3,000th hit on June 19, will present ball to @AROD today. pic.twitter.com/eL5SLLARUN

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 3, 2015

Hample caught A-Rod's solo home run in the first inning of the Yankees' June 19 against the Tigers at the Stadium. He initially slammed A-Rod and said he had no interest in giving the ball back to the steroid-tainted Yankee slugger.

"I'll give him the finger and a dummy ball," Hample said in a tweet he later deleted. "That man deserves favors from no one, least of all a fan."

But later he softened his stance.

"Part of me really wants to keep it, but now I'm thinking that if I sell it, I could give some or all of the money to (Pitch In For Baseball)," Hample said later. "But I'm also going to talk to the Yankees again and discuss it further."

And those discussions — and possibly the threats and criticism from A-Rod fans — seemed to convince him to hand it over.

So let me get this straight -- I was "disrespecting the game" when I kept the ball & now I'm an "idiot" for giving it back? Ha, whatever.

— Zack Hample (@zack_hample) July 3, 2015

A-Rod is the 29th player to reach 3,000 hits and only the second Yankee to do so.

Alex Rodriguez, Yankees plan to donate contested bonus money to charity: Report

It sounds like the New York Yankees and Alex Rodriguez are close to shaking out a compromise regarding the slugger's $6 million dollar home run bonus each party has been contesting — and the real winner here might be both sides.

According to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, a report claims the Yankees and A-Rod are making "quiet progress" toward finalizing a resolution over the money and plan to donate the money to charity.

But the legal eagles from both corners are still worried the deal might break down and that they might find themselves in arbitration after the season, the report said.

The charities to receive the cash would be picked by Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and Rodriguez, it added.

Rodriguez was set to receive the $6 million when he tied Willie Mays' 660 home runs for No. 4 on the all-time list May 1. The payment was spelled out in a 2007 marketing agreement that also said A-Rod would also get $6 million for reaching each of the following home run milestones: tying Babe Ruth at 714, Hank Aaron at 755, Barry Bonds at 762, and then for passing Bonds.

But that deal was struck was before A-Rod's one-year suspension for steroid use and the contentious and litigious attitude he took against the organization last year.

The Yankees have insisted they aren't obligated to pay Rodriguez. According to a portion of the contract the Yankees released, the only the team can decide whether to initiate the contract, and it hasn't intended to do that.

After hitting the Mays-tying home run in Boston, Rodriguez waited 45 days — the timeframe for A-Rod to file a grievance for the Yankees' nonpayment. But the sides then agreed to postpone the deadline so a deal could be struck.

CC Sabathia held back after Astros' Brett Oberholtzer throws at A-Rod (VIDEO)

Houston Astros pitcher Brett Oberholtzer got rocked early by the New York Yankees on Saturday, allowing a grand slam to catcher Brian McCann and a two-run dinger to outfielder Chris Young — all before he was out of the second inning. So the frustrated lefty took out his anger out on Alex Rodriguez by intentionally throwing a fastball at A-Rod's midsection.

CC Sabathia took offense at the bush league tactic and the Yankees pitcher had to be held back by manager Joe Girardi after the big guy hopped out of the dugout.

Oberholtzer, who just took a beating from McCann and Young, wanted no part of CC's wrath and meekly retreated to the Astros dugout — without even waiting for the umpire to give him the thumb.

It'll be interesting to see what happens the next time CC and Oberholtzer meet in a big league park.

Or not. Since Obie was almost immediately sent down to Triple-A.

.@Astros option LHP Brett Oberholtzer to Triple-A Fresno.

— MLBRosterMoves (@MLBRosterMoves) June 28, 2015

Ballhawk Zack Hample catches A-Rod's 3,000th hit and plans on keeping it

Alex Rodriguez’s historic 3,000th hit ended up in the hands of a famous home-run ballhawk, and some Yankees fans aren't very happy about it.

Zack Hample, who boasts that he has caught over 8,000 major-league baseballs, came away with Rodriguez’s milestone first-inning home run ball to right field in section 103 — just below where the Bleacher Creatures sit. The 37-year-old New Yorker says he became a Yankees season-ticket holder last year and picked the right field area because it’s a "good spot."

Here's A-Rod's 3,000th hit/ball. Told the @Yankees I'm keeping it. Got it authenticated by @MLB. This is un-REAL. pic.twitter.com/qEo2qX9Iru

— Zack Hample (@zack_hample) June 20, 2015

As he was being escorted by security to a private area for negotiation, Hample didn’t sound like a guy who was going to make it easy for the Yankees.

“My intention all along, imagining this scenario as a one-in-a-million, was not to give it back,” Hample said. “Just because – the guy who got Jeter’s 3,000th hit, a lot of people called him an idiot. A lot of people said that he was a wonderful person and extremely generous, and I really think whatever you want to do with it is your choice. I think that someone like Derek Jeter or Alex Rodriguez, who’s made half-a-billion dollars in their career, doesn’t really need a favor from a normal civilian, a fan like me.

“I don’t know right now if I’m gonna sell it,” Hample continued. “Depending on what the Yankees could offer, I would consider giving it back. I don’t plan to give it back for a chance to meet him and four autographed bats, because I don’t collect bats. I collect baseballs. Just having this ball is so meaningful to me, and I can’t believe that I got it.”

Hample’s website says he’s on a mission to snag baseballs for a non-profit charity called Pitch In For Baseball, which provides baseball equipment to underprivileged kids around the world. However, some of the Bleacher Creatures regulars don’t see Hample in the same light.

“That guy’s a d-bag!” said Bald Vinny, leader of the Creatures. “That guy sucks. He pushes little kids out of the way. He is the worst ever. That guy is the worst ever. There is literally – nobody worse could’ve gotten that home run ball than that f---ing guy. He’s a d-bag.

“Tell him I said, ‘F--k off,’” he added. “That guy sucks.”

On Thursday, Hample was asked on Twitter if he’d give Rodriguez the ball back if he caught a home run for Rodriguez’s 3,000th hit. Hample replied, “I’ll give him the finger and a dummy ball. That man deserves favors from no one, least of all a fan.”

Tonight Twitter is blowing up with mostly criticisms of the notorious ball hog.

Please god tell me Zach Hample didn’t catch the A-Rod homer. Please

— Rob Iracane (@iracane) June 20, 2015

No one likes you, @zack_hample because no one likes a grown man who brings his glove to MLB games. https://t.co/BJyOZMZOoV

— Neil Keefe (@NeilKeefe) June 20, 2015

Rays minor-league team cancels ‘A-Rod Juice Box Night’

The Port Charlotte Stone Crabs, Tampa Bay's Class A affiliate, had intended to give the first 500 fans a free juice box as a subtle jab at Alex Rodriguez before Friday night’s game. But, after the Yankees complained about the “A-Rod Juice Box Night” promotion, saying they found it "in poor taste," the Florida team cancelled the free giveaway.

In a photo illustration on the team's Twitter and Facebook pages, a woman is drinking from a juice box with this label (containing the wrong spelling of effects):

The Sports Drink
100 % Juiced
Side Affects include: tainted records, inflated ego, omission from the Hall of Fame, and more!

The Yankees contacted the MLB commissioner's office and the Florida State League after consulting with the Rays, who notified them of the promotion, according to TampaBay.com — even after the controversy of his return to baseball from a year-long suspension seems to be wearing off.

The team web site said the first 500 fans would get a free juice box (which they can drink or donate to the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition) and any fans bringing A-Rod T-shirts, hats or other merchandise to be donated to the Salvation Army can get a free ticket.

The Stone Crabs later apologized:

"On behalf of our entire organization I apologize to the New York Yankees, our affiliate club the Tampa Bay Rays, and all fans who may have taken offense," said Stone Crabs General Manager, Jared Forma.  "While our intent was to raise awareness for the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition and the Salvation Army, we realize this promotion may have been offensive to many and for that we are sorry and have decided to cancel the promotion.  The Stone Crabs organization has the utmost respect for the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays organizations and wishes both organizations only the best in the future."

The Charlotte Sports Park had a mixed bag of other promotions set up for the 6:30 p.m. game as well. The team was also offering a free beer special ($15, all you can drink from when gates open at 5 until end of the first inning) and it's All-Star Kids Club Night!

Rodriguez, who would be in New York while the Yankees played the Texas Rangers had no comment.

The Stone Crabs team is owned by Ripken Baseball, and operated independently of the Rays front office.

A-Rod hits first home run since 2013, 'needed Google map' to round bases (VIDEO)

It had been a long time since Alex Rodriguez hit a home run — Sept. 20, 2013 to be exact — before the Yankees DH launched Daniel Norris' 1-0 pitch into the left field seats against Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium Thursday night.

And even A-Rod admitted he felt like he was in unfamiliar territory as he rounded the bases, as per Brian Hoch of MLB.com:

A-Rod: "I felt like I needed a Google map to get around the bases. It's been a while."
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) April 10, 2015

While A-Rod's solo shot was the 655th trip around the diamond, it's probably easy to lose your bearings after 19 months in exile. Here's betting the Yankees splurge for a GPS if he can keep jacking them out like that.

A-Rod gets more cheers than boos during Opening Day intro (VIDEO)

It's been a season and a half since Alex Rodriguez stepped up to the plate at Yankee Stadium and the Bronx pariah finally made his long-awaited return to baseball since being banned for doping charges.

The home crowd reaction for his Opening Day return was mixed — about 70-30 cheers to boos.



Make that about 80-20.

They still love A-Rod in the Bronx.

ARod's intro pic.twitter.com/6hS1gesAjj
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) April 6, 2015

A-Rod goes hitless against pitching machine: Report

Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees took part in a six-inning intrasquad game Monday afternoon, the first “game” action for manager Joe Girardi’s team this spring.

And if facing a 90 mph pitching machine known as “Iron Mike” is any indication, A-Rod might end up apologizing for more than his past PED use this summer.

Apparently, his shame has flowed over to the batting cage.

Here's our @NYDNSports back page for Tuesday: A-Rod goes hitless vs. Iron Mike, the #Yankees pitching machine. pic.twitter.com/1hhTpUMpTJ
— Tom Biersdorfer (@TomBiersdorfer) March 3, 2015

The Yankees "slugger"went 0-for-2, grounding out to third base on the second pitch he saw, then lofting the first pitch of his next at-bat to right field for a routine fly out.

To be fair, Rodriguez wasn't the only player shut down by the mechanical arm. Mark Teixeira, Didi Gregorius, Brian McCann, Jacoby Ellsbury, Stephen Drew and Garrett Jones combined to go 0-for-10. Chris Young had a single in the scrimmage, though he was also the lone hitter to strike out against the machine, reported the N.Y. Daily News.

“For so many guys it’s difficult, because there’s no timing mechanism,” Girardi said about the practice gizmo. “You don’t have an arm to follow, and that’s the timing part. The guys who have that little bit of a leg kick, it’s even harder for them.”

A-Rod’s official spring debut will take place Wednesday against the Phillies in the Yankees’ home opener at Steinbrenner Field, where he’s expected to get two or three at-bats as the designated hitter.