Scott Boras later apologised for the timing of the announcement. "I could have handled this situation better, and for that I am truly sorry," he said. Rodriguez, 32, became the youngest player in Major League history to reach 500 home runs in August. But reports have claimed he was unsettled by the uncertainty surrounding the Yankees, who fell at the first hurdle in the play-offs for the third straight season. General manager Brian Cashman said: "We always understood that it was his contractual right (to opt out).
"But we expressed our interest in keeping him and requested the opportunity to convey those feelings to him directly in an open, face-to-face dialogue. "Alex was a key part of our success over the last four seasons and I only wish we could have raised a championship trophy together during his time here." Manager Joe Torre, who guided them to four World Series wins in his 12-year reign, parted company with the club earlier this month. He was offered a new one-year contract featuring a substantial pay cut and performance-based bonuses but rejected it. He has been linked with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Former Yankees catcher Joe Girardi has been offered the chance to succeed Torre, according to his agent Steve Mandell.
Girardi was a catcher for the Chicago Cubs, the Colorado Rockies and St Louis Cardinals before spending four years with the Yankees from 1996-99. He served as Torre's bench coach in 2005, then managed the Florida Marlins the following season and was NL Manager of the Year. The 43-year-old spent this season as a Yankees TV analyst after being fired by the Marlins last year. The Yankees are the major league's highest salaried team with a payroll exceeding $200m. They have won a record 26 World Series crowns.
Source: BBC Sport
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