NEW YORK, 17 February 2004 — Alex Rodriguez will be officially unveiled as a New York Yankee when Major League Baseball (MLB) gives the trade with the Texas Rangers its approval.
The deal, which also involves Yankees second baseman Alfonso Soriano and a player yet to be named joining Texas in exchange, was agreed by all parties Sunday, MLB’s website reported. But Commissioner Bud Selig still has to sign off on the trade and New York fans will have to wait until next day at the earliest for that to happen.
Media reports have already dubbed the imminent deal for the American League MVP as one of the biggest in MLB history.
It brings together the widely-regarded ‘best player in baseball’ with the league’s most successful team. “A-Rod”, as the shortstop is nicknamed, is the first reigning MVP to switch clubs. Rodriguez could have moved to New York’s bitter rivals, the Boston Red Sox, at the end of last year. But the suggested trade, which involved outfielder Manny Ramirez, was ultimately blocked by the players’ union.
The union opposed the move because Rodriguez would have had to re-negotiate his huge pay deal downward. The 28-year-old signed a 10-year, $252 million contract with the Rangers in 2000. MLB’s website said the trade with the Yankees would leave that deal unaffected.
Media reports said the Rangers would still pay around $67 million of the $179 million left on Rodriguez’s contract.
