Spring 2019 Premium Auction Closing May 11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/12/2019
After the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers agreed to a trade in principle that would have had Alex Rodriguez sent to Boston and Manny Ramirez sent to Texas prior to the start of the 2004 season, the much-publicized trade fell apart when the Major League Baseball Players Union wouldn’t sanction Rodriguez lowering his contract. Shortly after the trade broke down, Yankees’ third baseman and ALCS Game 7 hero Aaron Boone injured his knee that was going to keep him out of most of, if not all of the 2004 season.
This opened the door for the New York Yankees to jump in and the big-spending club had no hesitation in acquiring the best player in the game – which they did. A-Rod even agreed to move from his Gold Glove winning shortstop position to third base out of respect for incumbent shortstop Derek Jeter. With Rodriguez in the Yankees’ fold, the Bombers embarked on the 2004 season.
It only took Rodriguez three games to open his home run account with the Yankees as the slugger belted his first career Yankee home run during the April 6th contest against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. A-Rod’s first Yankee home run in the top of the first inning, which was also his 346th career home run, was a two-run home run off of Tampa Bay’s starter Victor Zambrano to right field. Rodriguez would connect on 36 home runs during his debut season in pinstripes.
This is the very bat Alex Rodriguez used to hit his first-ever New York Yankees home run. This Louisville C271 model bat displays tremendous use and is un-cracked. There are many ball marks, ball stitch impressions, blue ink transfers and cleat marks visible on the barrel. There is a heavy coating of Mota Stick on the handle. Rodriguez has signed this gamer on the barrel and inscribed “1st Yankee Home Run 346 4-6-04 1st+2nd RBI 1st Walk 2nd Hit vs. Tampa vs. Zambrano”. This bat comes with a full LOA from PSA/DNA (E36305) for the game use and who have graded this bat a perfect GU 10. There is also a LOA from Steve Grad of Beckett Authentication for the signature and inscriptions.