Alex Rodriguez Benched By Yankees For Deciding Game 5 Of ALDS

As poorly as Yankee 3B Alex Rodriguez, the highest paid player in baseball, was playing, it was seemingly hard to imagine the slugger being benched in any scenario just a week ago. Now he’ll be cheering his team on as a bystander in Friday night’s deciding game five of the American League Division Series against Baltimore.

Yankees Manager Joe Girardi took A-Rod out of the lineup despite four career home runs off tonight’s Orioles starter Jason Hammel. He’s 0-11 with nine strikeouts this series with nine strikeouts against right-handed pitching, and Girardi cannot take any chances in a do-or-die game with a majority of his lineup playing poorly on offense. Game three hero Raul Ibanez will bat fifth and play DH, while Eric Chavez will play third base and hit ninth.