▁led ▁the ▁American ▁League ▁in ▁home ▁runs , ▁runs ▁scored , ▁and ▁sl ug ging ▁percentage , ▁and ▁won ▁his ▁second ▁consecutive ▁Gold ▁Glo ve ▁Award . ▁He ▁also ▁led ▁the ▁league ▁in ▁few est ▁at - b ats ▁per ▁home ▁run ▁( 1 2 . 9 ) ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁young est ▁player ▁to ▁hit ▁ 3 0 0 ▁hom ers . ▁He ▁was ▁tied ▁with ▁Jim ▁Th ome ▁for ▁the ▁ML B ▁lead ▁in ▁hom ers , ▁and ▁he ▁won ▁his ▁second ▁B abe ▁Ruth ▁Home ▁Run ▁Award . ▁ ▁Following ▁five ▁top - 1 0 ▁finish es ▁in ▁the ▁AL ▁M VP ▁voting ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Rod rig uez ▁won ▁his ▁first ▁M VP ▁tro phy . ▁Rod rig uez , ▁a ▁two - time ▁runner ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁ball oting ▁by ▁the ▁Baseball ▁Writ ers ' ▁Association ▁of ▁America , ▁joined ▁out f iel der ▁Andre ▁Daw son ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁Chicago ▁C ubs ▁as ▁the ▁only ▁players ▁to ▁play ▁on ▁last - place ▁teams ▁and ▁win ▁the ▁award . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁season , ▁Texas ▁set ▁out ▁to ▁part ▁ways ▁with ▁Rod rig uez ▁and ▁his ▁expensive ▁contract . ▁The ▁R angers ▁initially ▁agreed ▁to ▁a ▁trade ▁with ▁the ▁Boston ▁Red ▁So x , ▁sending ▁Rod rig uez ▁to ▁Boston ▁for ▁Mann y ▁Ram ire z , ▁ 1 9 - year ▁old ▁pitch ing ▁prospect ▁Jon ▁L ester