The New York Yankees are on the verge of being officially eliminated from playoff contention. But Alex Rodriguez will be working during the postseason.
It was generally expected that Rodriguez would once again be a part of a network’s postseason baseball coverage. Most signs pointed to Fox Sports, since that’s where A-Rod hung his shingle last October. The two are reuniting, as reported by the New York Times‘ Richard Sandomir, with Rodriguez joining fellow analysts Pete Rose and Frank Thomas, along with Kevin Burkhardt as part of the Fox Sports MLB studio crew.
Excited to be back with @foxsports. Looking forward to the @MLB playoffs. pic.twitter.com/lHr8EbCH2f
— Alex Rodriguez (@AROD) September 29, 2016
Fox Sports’ postseason coverage begins FS1 carrying the NLDS on Oct. 7. The NLCS will be seen on either FOX or FS1, beginning Oct. 15. And FOX will carry the World Series, which begins on Oct. 25. That could potentially keep Rodriguez a busy guy during October.
“I had a really good time last year, and I’d be watching every game anyway,” Rodriguez told the NYT’s Sandomir. “I love the game, and I see it as my responsibility to convey what I am seeing in the simplest way.”
Rodriguez’s TV work was well-received, so it’s certainly no surprise he’s back in the studio again for the postseason. Following his retirement from the Yankees, rumors circulated that Fox Sports and ESPN might pursue A-Rod for a long-term TV gig. That could still happen, but the belief has been that Rodriguez would lean toward Fox Sports because of their previous relationship. Sandomir mentioned in his article that Fox Sports is also expected to announce that A-Rod will be part of the network’s coverage of next year’s MLB All-Star Game in Miami.
A-Rod presumably has a new gig lined up next year as a special advisor and instructor with the Yankees next year, and judging from his interview with Sandomir during which he referred to the team as “we,” he intends to follow through on that offer. He’ll work with the team during Instructional League in Tampa soon, and will begin his work as advisor next month. There’s no reason to think that job wouldn’t interfere with any television work he might do, especially if it was just for the All-Star Game and perhaps yet another postseason.
But some also believe that Rodriguez will try to play again next season with another team. If that were the case, it seemingly wouldn’t interfere with A-Rod joining Fox’s All-Star Game coverage. (No snarky remarks about Rodriguez possibly playing in the Midsummer Classic, please.) Rodriguez wouldn’t rule it out, but said he liked how his career ended with the Yankees in August.
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