Alex Rodriguez wanted to play third base for his final game, but Yankees said no

For his final game as a player for the New York Yankees, Alex Rodriguez thought it would be nice to start at third base, the position he’s played during most of his time in pinstripes.

He made the request earlier this week … and was denied by Manager Joe Girardi.

“I said, ‘Well, any chance I could play third base on Friday?’ He just said no,” said Rodriguez, who hasn’t played in the field all season after playing third only twice last year.

Girardi said it was nothing personal against the player, who will be released to become a special advisor to the team following Friday’s game against Tampa Bay.

“We thought about it, but he hasn’t done any work,” Girardi said Thursday night. “It’s not that I wouldn’t like to see it, but we’re in a part of the season where we are trying to win. We’re still in this and I just felt that the situation hasn’t presented itself.”

Rodriguez has 696 career home runs, fourth-best in major league history. But he hasn’t seen much action lately — this month he has served as a pinch-hitter, if he’s appeared in games at all, up until Thursday night’s game in Boston.

During that game, a 4-2 Yankees win, A-Rod went 0 for 4 but did garner the 2,085th RBI of his career.

Rodriguez said it was no big deal that he wouldn’t get to play in the field one more time.

“It would have just been fun,” Rodriguez said. “Look, it wasn’t a big request. I get that we are playing games. I totally get the answer.”

He added that it could be a blessing in disguise.

“They are probably saving me some embarrassment,” said Rodriguez, who will be honored by the Yankees in a pregame ceremony Friday night.