New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez has officially decided to retire from baseball

The Yankees on Sunday announced that Alex Rodriguez would play his final game Friday at Yankee Stadium against the Tampa Bay Rays, bringing to an end a 22-season career filled with achievement and controversy. After the game, Rodriguez will be unconditionally released and will sign a contract to serve as a special adviser and instructor with the Yankees through 2017, the team said.

“Saying goodbye may be the hardest part of the job,” Rodriguez said at a news conference at Yankee Stadium on Sunday morning. “But that’s what I’m doing today.”

Rodriguez’s retirement will end his quest for some home run benchmarks. Entering Sunday, he was four short of 700 and just 18 behind Babe Ruth’s career total of 714.

“As far as 700, or any of those type of milestones, I would have had an unbelievable, fun time going after them,” Rodriguez said.

But “those are not the cards I was dealt,” he added. “Again, I’m at peace with the organization’s decision.”

In a statement released by the Yankees, the team owner Hal Steinbrenner said, “After spending several days discussing this plan with Alex, I am pleased that he will remain a part of our organization moving forward and transition into a role in which I know he can flourish.”