Yankees to honor Mariano Rivera before Sept. 22 game with Giants

The Yankees will honor retiring closer Mariano Rivera on Sept. 22. (Layne Murdoch/Getty Images) The New York Yankees will honor retiring closer Mariano Rivera

The Yankees will honor retiring closer Mariano Rivera on Sept. 22. (Layne Murdoch/Getty Images)

The New York Yankees will honor retiring closer Mariano Rivera before their Sept. 22 game against the San Francisco Giants, the team announced in a news release Wednesday.

Rivera, baseball's all-time saves leader, has spent his entire 19-year career with New York. The 43-year-old won the MLB All-Star Game MVP earlier this month.

Throughout his final season, Rivera has been honored by other teams. But New York's celebration should be special. Rivera is one of the most respected players in the game and certainly commands respect among the Yankee faithful. The Sept. 22 game is New York's last weekend home game of the season.

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One thing that could make the event even sweeter? If the Yankees are still in playoff contention. Rivera has been a member of five World Series-champion Yankees teams, but New York is currently on the outside in the postseason race. The Yankees trail the Baltimore Orioles by 3.5 games for the second Wild Card spot in the American League.

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