Rebuilding Yankees to leave A-Rod with reduced playing time

For weeks, rumors have been swirling that the Yankees could release Alex Rodriguez.

Ultimately, an ideal scenario would be for the Yankees to reach a buyout with Rodriguez in the offseason, which allows him to retire on good terms with the team, and at least gives the impression that he left on his own accord.

And when manager Joe Girardi was asked – after the Yankees had been trounced by the Mets, 7-1, at Citi Field to split the first two games of this home-and-home Subway Series – if that final at-bat might have been A-Rod’s last as a Yankee, he did not exactly handle the question with aplomb. The Yankees clearly indicated they were in rebuilding mode after trading relievers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller, starting pitcher Ivan Nova and slugger Carlos Beltran before the deadline, per Billy Witz of the New York Times.

He has been in one game since July 22 and can’t handle a fastball. Monday night it was different as they talked in the visitor’s clubhouse, and there was that big lift with a revamped roster and win over the Mets in extra innings.

But, as this series has shown over the past 20-years, there is always room for drama. Tuesday night it was A-Rod, Wednesday and Thursday night in the Bronx, it could be something else. At the very end, the Mets got what they wanted and landed the outfielder in a trade that sent prospects Dilson Herrera and Max Wotell to the Cincinatti Reds.

Following their two-game bout with the Mets, the Yankees welcome the red-hot Cleveland Indians for a three-game series this weekend. Words were exchanged, both players were held back from going any further, no one was ejected and warnings were issued.

The Mets continue to hang in there.

Bruce went 0 for 4 with a walk, dropping to 0 for 8 since he was acquired from Cincinnati on Monday. “Otherwise, he’s done what we expected him to”, Mets manager Terry Collins said.

It’s why, despite sporting a. 204 batting average while on the verge of losing his job, he can be an embarrassing dad on Instagram.

“I felt a little out of place for the first couple of innings, honestly”, he said. However, Teixeira made up for that in a big way when he hit a three run home run off Steven Matz in the bottom of the second to essentially put the game away.

Bruce’s empty night didn’t matter, as the Mets scored their most runs of the second half against the Yankees’ top starter.

De Aza hit a two-run homer in the third and d’Arnaud added a solo drive in the fifth, just the third home run of the season for each.

“I haven’t discussed with the baseball people anything about what we’re going to be doing in the hours and days to come”, he said. “No, I probably don’t, because of some of the changes that we’re possibly going to make here”. Cespedes runs hard, feels some pain and then feels better. One positive to this drama, he won’t be playing the field but any more aggravation to that quad, then the duo Collins talks about won’t be seen.

The Mets tacked on four runs in the seventh to turn it into a blowout.

Tanaka (7-4) lasted 6 1/3 innings and allowed eight hits and seven earned runs – his most since coming to the major leagues in 2014 – as his ERA rose to 3.46.

The Mets, meanwhile, will hope to unveil a revamped lineup Wednesday, when new right fielder Jay Bruce makes his second start for the club and Yoenis Cespedes is expected to return to action as the designated hitter in the American League ballpark.