▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁season , ▁Rod rig uez ▁was ▁trad ed ▁to ▁the ▁Yan ke es , ▁for ▁whom ▁he ▁converted ▁to ▁a ▁third ▁bas eman , ▁because ▁D erek ▁J eter ▁was ▁already ▁the ▁Yan ke es ' ▁full - time ▁short stop . ▁During ▁Rod rig uez ' s ▁career ▁with ▁the ▁Yan ke es , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁AL ▁M VP ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁After ▁opt ing ▁out ▁of ▁his ▁contract ▁following ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁season , ▁Rod rig uez ▁signed ▁a ▁new ▁ 1 0 - year , ▁$ 2 7 5   mill ion ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁Yan ke es , ▁extending ▁his ▁record ▁for ▁the ▁sport ' s ▁most ▁luc r ative ▁contract . ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁young est ▁player ▁ever ▁to ▁hit ▁ 5 0 0 ▁home ▁runs , ▁reaching ▁the ▁mil estone ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Yan ke es ' ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁World ▁Series ▁championship ▁over ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁Phill ies , ▁which ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁Yan kee ▁Stadium ▁and ▁Rod rig uez ' s ▁only ▁world ▁title . ▁Tow ard ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁career , ▁Rod rig uez ▁was ▁ham per ed ▁by ▁hip ▁and ▁kne e ▁inj uries , ▁which ▁caused ▁him ▁to ▁become ▁exclus ively ▁a ▁designated ▁h itter . ▁He ▁played ▁his ▁final ▁game ▁in ▁professional ▁baseball ▁on