Alex Rodriguez will not play in the field in his Yankees finale

Alex Rodriguez asked to play third base Friday night in his New York Yankees finale but his request was denied by Manager Joe Girardi.

“We thought about it but he hasn’t done any work,” Girardi said before Thursday night’s game at Boston. “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.”

Instead, Rodriguez will be the designated hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays in his final game before being released and transitioning into a role as special adviser and instructor. He has not played in the field this season.

Rodriguez, 41, has been with the Yankees since 2004, costing the team $317 million while helping the Yankees win one World Series.

The Yankees plan a pregame ceremony to recognize Rodriguez.

The polarizing three-time most valuable player has hit 351 of his 696 home runs with the Yankees.

Cubs reliever Strop will need surgery

Chicago Cubs reliever Pedro Strop will be sidelined four to six weeks because of a torn meniscus in his left knee.

The right-hander will undergo arthroscopic surgery Friday after getting hurt fielding a grounder in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over the Angels.

“It’s never fun not having him around, but it could have been worse,” Cubs Manager Joe Maddon said. “We’re going to get him back and that’s a good thing.”

The 31-year-old Strop, who has a 2.89 earned-run average in 50 appearances this season, bolted off the mound and slid in front of third baseman Javier Baez to field Yunel Escobar’s slow roller.

Etc.

Designated hitter Kendrys Morales of the Kansas City Royals dropped his appeal of a one-game suspension and sat out Thursday night’s game against the Chicago White Sox. Morales was penalized by Major League Baseball for returning to the field after being ejected Aug. 2 at Tampa Bay. ...

David Dahl can break a modern-day major league record by stretching his hitting streak to begin his career to 18 games when the Colorado Rockies face the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night. The outfielder, 22, has matched Chuck Aleno’s mark from 1941 with the Cincinnati Reds while batting .358 with three home runs and 10 runs batted in.