, ▁and ▁would ▁instead ▁become ▁a ▁designated ▁h itter . ▁▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁In ▁the ▁off - season , ▁during ▁the ▁week ▁of ▁January ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁it ▁was ▁reported ▁that ▁Rod rig uez ▁met ▁with ▁new ▁Commission er ▁of ▁Baseball ▁Rob ▁Man fred , ▁resulting ▁in ▁a ▁" pos itive ▁discussion , ▁last ing ▁ 1 0 ▁minutes ▁in ▁which ▁Rod rig uez ▁apolog ized , ▁while ▁prom ising ▁to ▁behave ▁in ▁the ▁future ". ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Rod rig uez ▁issued ▁a ▁hand - written ▁letter ▁of ▁ap ology ▁to ▁" M aj or ▁League ▁Baseball , ▁the ▁Yan ke es , ▁the ▁Stein br en ner ▁family , ▁the ▁Play ers ▁Association ▁and ▁you , ▁the ▁fans ". ▁ ▁Rod rig uez ▁reported ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁Yan ke es ' ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁spring ▁training ▁camp ▁three ▁days ▁early . ▁ ▁Gir ardi ▁planned ▁to ▁play ▁Rod rig uez ▁at ▁first ▁base ▁during ▁spring ▁training ▁to ▁assess ▁whether ▁he ▁could ▁be ▁played ▁there , ▁a ▁first ▁for ▁his ▁career . ▁ ▁Rod rig uez ▁played ▁his ▁first ▁game ▁after ▁his ▁susp ension ▁on ▁opening ▁day ▁against ▁the ▁Blue ▁J ays ▁at ▁Yan kee ▁Stadium . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁designated ▁h itter , ▁going ▁ 1 ▁for ▁ 2 ▁with ▁a ▁walk ▁as ▁the ▁Yan ke es ▁lost ▁to ▁the ▁Blue ▁J ays ▁ 1 – 6 . ▁