"I was trying to go for his glove and the karate chop went a little too far" - Alex Rodriguez once opened up about an iconic moment from the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees rivalry
Former MLB legend Alex Rodriguez once described a famous incident during the iconic era between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.
The incident occurred when Rodriguez extended his arm to slap the ball out of Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo's glove while running down the first-base line in Game 6 of the 2004 American League Championship Series. In 2018, A-Rod finally explained the reason behind his infamous 'karate chop' on Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" podcast.
"It was worth the try. How's that?" Rodriguez said. "I was trying to go for his glove, and Arroyo's a very good athlete. He got off the mound very quickly. I was trying to go for his glove and the karate chop went a little too far and I got his forearm."
The Yankees had a three-game series lead over the Red Sox, but collapsed in Game 7 against their bitter rivals. Rodriguez added that John Olerud's foot injury disrupted the momentum of the team. The Red Sox went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, winning their first title since 1918.
Alex Rodriguez reveals his heartbreak after 2004 ALCS loss
Alex Rodriguez opened up on the infamous loss to the Boston Red Sox almost two decades ago. ESPN rebroadcast Game 4 of the series in 2020, and Rodriguez was not in any mood to revisit one of the biggest comebacks in MLB history. A-Rod took to Twitter to vent his frustrations, saying:
"How many of you remember this game from 2004? It still hurts to watch. I will NEVER get over this one. Not now. Not ever. We were three outs away from the World Series, up 3 games to zero! And we lost. And then we lost Game 5. And Game 6. And Game 7. @espn @MLB @yankees"
How many of you remember this game from 2004? It still hurts to watch. I will NEVER get over this one. Not now. Not ever. We were three outs away from the World Series, up 3 games to zero! 😤⚾️
And we lost. And then we lost Game 5. And Game 6. And Game 7. @espn @MLB @yankees https://t.co/0NMDSphD4L
Rodriguez's quest for a maiden World Series title ended five years later in 2009. The New York Yankees overcame the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to win their 27th championship. Alex Rodriguez went on to become one of the best players for the Yankees, with 14 All-Star team selections while also being named a three-time AL MVP.
