Alex Rodriguez is planning to retire at the end of the 2017 season after playing out his contract with the New York Yankees.
The designated hitter, who is set to be paid $21 million each of the next two seasons in the final two years of his 10-year, $275-million contract, told ESPN of his plans on Wednesday.
“I won’t play after next year,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve really enjoyed my time. For me, it is time for me to go home and be dad.”
A-Rod, who enters 2016 with 687 home runs, will be ending a legendary and controversy-filled career.
Rodriguez turns 41 on July 27.
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-- Legendary baseball broadcaster Joe Garagiola died at the age of 90.
The Arizona Diamondbacks, who employed Garagiola as a part-time broadcaster from 1998 to 2012, announced his passing on Twitter.
Garagiola was awarded the Ford Frick Award by the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991 after being the voice of baseball at NBC for nearly 30 years, beginning in 1961.
Garagiola spent nine seasons as a catcher in the major leagues from 1946 to 1954.
He had a .257 career batting average with 42 home runs with 255 RBIs.
His son, Joe Garagiola Jr., is senior vice president of standards and onfield operations for Major League Baseball and was previously the general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
-- The Toronto Blue Jays named right-hander Marcus Stroman as their Opening Day starter.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons made the expected announcement for the April 3 opener at the Tampa Bay Rays.
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The 24-year-old Stroman was the presumed choice since David Price left via free agency.
Stroman suffered a severe knee injury last spring and only returned in September for a run into the postseason. He was 4-0 with a 1.67 ERA in four regular-season starts.
In the postseason, he was 1-0 with a 4.19 ERA in three starts.
