With a home run to right field in the first inning against Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers on Friday night, New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez collected his 3,000th career hit, becoming the 29th player in major league history to reach the milestone.
Alex Rodriguez records 3,000th hit, becomes 29th in MLB history to reach milestone
Alex Rodriguez became the 29th player in major league history with 3,000 career hits, the latest in a 2015 season that has been filled with milestones for the three-time MVP.
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Rodriguez became just the second player to collect his 3,000th hit off of a former Cy Young Award winner, joining Dave Winfield, who did so against Dennis Eckersley on Sept. 16, 1993, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
In his career, Rodriguez is 11-for-35 (.314) with five home runs, six walks and 12 RBI against Verlander.
The hit came in Rodriguez's third attempt at his 3,000th hit. Rodriguez came to the plate sitting on 2,999 hits twice on Thursday against the Miami Marlins, but flew out to right field in the sixth inning against left-hander Mike Dunn, then drew a walk from Sam Dyson in the eighth.
Rodriguez is the first new member of the 3,000-hit club since former teammate Derek Jeter joined on July 9, 2011, also at Yankee Stadium. Rodriguez joins Jeter and Wade Boggs as members who homered for their 3,000th hit.
It has been a season of milestones for the 39-year-old Rodriguez, who hit his 661st career home run on May 7 to surpass Willie Mays for fourth place on the all-time list, then became the fourth person in major league history with 2,000 RBI on June 13.
Nearly half (1,465) of Rodriguez's career hits have come as a Yankee. The 21-year veteran also had 966 hits in seven years with the Seattle Mariners, and 569 hits in his three years with the Texas Rangers.
Rodriguez is just the fifth player in major league history with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs, joining Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray and Rafael Palmeiro.
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