The Red Sox fumbled the deal, and the Yankees picked it up and ran. That's the simplest version of how Alex Rodriguez ended up in pinstripes. On February 16, 2004, the New York Yankees acquired the best player in baseball from the Texas Rangers, and the entire balance of power in the American League shifted in a single phone call. Boston had tried to get A-Rod first -- they couldn't make the money work. The Yankees could. (The Yankees could always make the money work.)
The trade sent Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later (Joaquin Arias, completed April 23) to Texas. The Rangers got a 30-30 second baseman and salary relief. The Yankees got a perennial MVP candidate who'd just hit 47 homers for a last-place team. This wasn't close to a fair exchange, and everyone knew it.
Why It Almost Didn't Happen
Boston's front office had negotiated with Rodriguez and the Rangers throughout the winter. The deal fell apart because the players' union blocked a proposed restructuring of A-Rod's massive contract -- a 10-year, $252 million deal signed with Texas in December 2000. The Red Sox wanted Rodriguez to defer money. The union said no. Boston walked away, furious. The Yankees walked in, smiled, and said they'd take the contract as-is.
(Imagine being a Red Sox fan watching your biggest rival scoop the player you spent months chasing. That's the kind of thing that keeps you up at night.)
The Position Change Nobody Expected
Rodriguez had played shortstop his entire career. He was the best shortstop in baseball -- not second-best, not "one of" the best. THE best. And the Yankees asked him to move to third base because Derek Jeter was the captain and the face of the franchise. There was never a real debate about who'd stay at short.
Rodriguez accepted the move publicly, without complaint. (Whether he accepted it privately is a whole different conversation -- one that played out over the next decade.) The Jeter-Rodriguez relationship had been strained since a 2001 Esquire interview where A-Rod made comments about Jeter that didn't sit well. The two were friends as young players, then they weren't. Now they were teammates with the entire baseball world watching to see if it'd blow up.
What A-Rod Did in Year One
It didn't blow up. Not in the regular season, at least. Rodriguez hit .286 with 36 homers, 106 RBI, 112 runs scored, and 28 stolen bases. He became the youngest player to reach 350 career home runs and the third-youngest to 1,000 career RBI. He made the All-Star team as a third baseman for the first time. Gary Sheffield matched him at 36 homers, and the two of them anchored a 2004 lineup that scared every pitching staff in the league.
A-Rod even gave us one of the great rivalry moments. On July 24 at Fenway, he got hit by a pitch and exchanged shoves with Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. Benches cleared. Punches flew. (Boston fans point to that brawl as the turning point of their season. We call it a freakin' fight that happened in July.)
The October Problem
Rodriguez's first postseason in pinstripes ended in the 2004 ALCS collapse -- the historic 3-0 lead blown against those same Red Sox. A-Rod's bat went cold when it mattered most. The guy who'd been traded specifically to push the Yankees over the top in October didn't deliver when October arrived. That tension -- between regular-season dominance and postseason disappointment -- defined the first chapter of his Bronx career.
He'd go on to win AL MVP in 2005 and 2007, and he was a driving force behind the 2009 championship. But the 2004 trade will always carry an asterisk of heartbreak, because the first year ended with Mo blowing saves and Boston celebrating on the Stadium field.
The Red Sox couldn't close the deal for A-Rod. The Yankees could. And then they couldn't close the deal in October. Baseball's sense of irony is brutal.
| Trade Date | February 16, 2004 |
| Yankees Received | Alex Rodriguez (SS/3B) |
| Rangers Received | Alfonso Soriano, Joaquin Arias (PTBNL) |
| A-Rod's 2004 Line | .286 / 36 HR / 106 RBI / 28 SB |
| Position Change | SS to 3B (to accommodate Jeter) |
Red Sox Negotiate for A-Rod
Boston's front office works to acquire Rodriguez from Texas. The deal collapses when the players' union blocks proposed contract restructuring. The Red Sox walk away empty-handed.
Yankees Complete the Trade
The Yankees acquire Rodriguez from Texas for Soriano and a PTBNL. A-Rod agrees to move to third base. The front office pulls off the biggest trade in years right under Boston's nose.
A-Rod's Bronx Debut
Rodriguez begins his Yankees career at third base. The transition from shortstop draws constant media attention, but his bat produces from day one.
The Varitek Brawl
Rodriguez and Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek exchange shoves after a hit-by-pitch at Fenway Park. Benches clear. The incident becomes one of the defining rivalry moments of the era.
ALCS Collapse
Rodriguez's first Bronx October ends in the historic 3-0 ALCS collapse against Boston. The Red Sox complete the comeback and win the World Series.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did A-Rod join the Yankees?
February 16, 2004. The Yankees traded Alfonso Soriano and Joaquin Arias (PTBNL) to the Texas Rangers for Rodriguez. He moved from shortstop to third base to accommodate captain Derek Jeter and hit .286 with 36 homers in his debut Bronx season.
Why did A-Rod move to third base for the Yankees?
Derek Jeter was the Yankees' captain, the face of the franchise, and the established starting shortstop. There was no question about who'd stay at short. Rodriguez volunteered to change positions despite being widely considered the best shortstop in baseball at the time.
Why didn't the Red Sox get Alex Rodriguez first?
Boston negotiated with Rodriguez and the Rangers throughout the 2003-04 offseason, but the deal fell apart when the players' union blocked a proposed restructuring of A-Rod's 10-year, $252 million contract. The Yankees stepped in after the Sox deal collapsed and acquired Rodriguez without requiring contract changes.
What did the Yankees give up for Alex Rodriguez?
The Yankees sent second baseman Alfonso Soriano -- a 38-homer, 35-steal player in 2002 -- and minor leaguer Joaquin Arias (PTBNL, completed April 23) to the Texas Rangers. The Rangers also received salary relief on Rodriguez's massive contract.