Alex Rodriguez says he 'would love' to be added to Yankees' Monument Park: 'It would be an honor'

A-Rod joined his first Yankees Old Timers' Day at the stadium Saturday

By Mike Axisa Aug 25, 2024 at 9:50 am ET• 2 min read

Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, the New York Yankees held their 76th annual Old Timers' Day, which doubled as a 15th anniversary celebration of their 2009 World Series championship team. Several 2009 Yankees, including CC Sabathia, made their Old Timers' Day debut. So too did Alex Rodriguez, who last played in 2016.

A-Rod got a pretty big hand from the Yankee Stadium crowd when he was introduced:

Welcome back, @AROD 👏#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/XrMBpHLYlM

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 24, 2024

"I was actually surprised that I got an invitation. Honored and very happy. I obviously told my daughters right away, and it's a great thrill," A-Rod said about his Old Timers' Day debut (via the New York Daily News). "... It's nice to be back in the fold. I'm excited to be back. I'm very proud of my time in New York, and I'm very proud of being part of a championship team. So happy to be back."

A-Rod's time with the Yankees was complicated, to say the least. Undeniably a great player -- Rodriguez is top 10 in Yankees history in home runs, WAR, etc. -- he also served a yearlong performance-enhancing drug suspension in 2014, and threatened to sue MLB, the Yankees, and their team doctor as part of the appeal process. The litigation was later dropped.