Alex Rodriguez announced Sunday he will retire and play his final game Friday. The three-time American League MVP and 14-time All-Star has played 2,781 games in his 22-year career and more than a season's worth of games against the Twins during the long run.

Rodriguez began punishing the Twins during his first full season in the major leagues and was still knocking around their pitching staff this season. He was benched in the Twins-Yankees series finale in June, but hit .333 with at least one hit, eight total, in six games.

Here is a look back at five of Rodriguez's best efforts against the Twins during his time with Seattle, Texas and the New York Yankees:

April 18, 1998
A-Rod's first full season in the big leagues was highlighted by a strong first month that included a 4-for-4 effort against the Twins at the Metrodome. Rodriguez hit a home run, a triple and scored three times to lead Seattle to a 5-3 victory. The 20-year-old went on to finish his first full season with a career-best .358 batting average, 141 runs and 54 doubles. He finished second in the MVP voting.

September 3, 2006
Rodriguez had three hits, two home runs, and drove in five of the Yankees' 10 runs in a 10-1 beating in New York. He finished with his ninth-consecutive 100-plus RBI season and would drive in 100 or more runs for four more seasons.

October 9, 2009
A-Rod's biggest moment against the Twins was in the 2009 American League Division Series. He spoiled Game 2 for the Twins when he hit a game-tying two-run home run in the ninth inning against closer Joe Nathan. The Yankees went on to win the game in the 11th inning and won Game 3 to complete the series sweep.


July 25, 2015
A-Rod, in his final days as a 39-year-old, belted three home runs more than 420 feet at Target Field in the Yankees' 8-5 victory. It was the fifth three-homer game of his career and he became just the second player to have three 420-foot home runs in a game in the last five seasons.


August 18, 2015
Rodriguez continued to punish the Twins last season with a grand slam in the seventh inning to spark the Yankees' 8-4 comeback victory. The long ball was his 25th career grand slam. A-Rod turned 40 a couple weeks earlier.