Alex Rodriguez has made his choice. The New York Yankees slugging third baseman will undergo surgery Monday on the slightly torn meniscus and likely be out of the lineup for four to six weeks.
"There's no doubt we're going to miss him, but we need to find a way," manager Joe Girardi said in a statement after the decision was announced. "As I've said several times already this year, some people are going to have to step up. Up to this point, this team has. We certainly look forward to getting a healthy Alex back into our lineup, because we know what he adds to this team."
Is this the right move for A-Rod? I believe it is. He could have played through the injury the rest of the season, but it certainly was not going to get better and Rodriguez certainly has not been the same player since apparently suffering the injury June 19. Per mlb.com, the 35-year-old A-Rod has hit .321 in 14 games since being injured. His power numbers, though, are not what he or the Yankees are accustomed to. Rodriguez has not homered in his late 85 at-bats, the longest stretch of his career. With 13 home runs and 52 RBI he is on pace for 24 home runs and 97 RBI -- his lowest totals since 1997.
The Yankees, though, need a healthy Rodriguez driving the ball with authority down the stretch of the season and into October, not one who is limping to the finish line and struggling to contribute.
Eduardo Nunez, who hit .339 while filling in for Derek Jeter while he was on the disabled list, will get most of the time at third base while Rodriguez is sidelined. Nunex has 10 errors this season, but only one of them in 10 59 innings at third base.