Alex Rodriguez is closing in on MLB history.

The 39-year-old infielder currently sits at 659 career home runs, the fifth-most in MLB history.

 Only Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays have more home runs. If and when Rodriguez hits his next home run, that will give 660, which will tie him for the fourth most all-time with the legendary Willie Mays.

Most career home runs in MLB history is as follows:

1. Barry Bonds: 763

2. Hank Aaron: 755

3. Babe Ruth: 714

4. Willie Mays: 660

5. Alex Rodriguez: 659

Of those 659 career home runs, a large majority of them came with the New York Yankees. Rodriguez hit 314 home runs with the Bronx Bombers, 189 with the Seattle Mariners and 156 with the Texas Rangers. Three times in Rodriguez's career he hit for more than 50 homes in a season, a very impressive achievement considering Hank Aaron never hit 50 in a season even once.

The most home runs Rodriguez hit as a Yankee came in 2007 when he crushed 54 out of the ballpark. That same year Rodriguez won his third American League Most Valuable Player award and had a career high 156 runs batted in.

Only four Yankees have ever hit 50 home runs in a season. Ruth accomplished it four times, Mickey Mantle twice, Rodriguez in 2007, and of course Roger Maris in 1961. Maris's 1961 61-home run season is still the most home runs by a Yankee in a season.

Rodriguez and the Yankees are currently battling American League East rival Tampa Bay Rays in a three-game series. Rodriguez has five home runs this season, good enough for second most on the team behind only Mark Teixeira, who has eight so far. At the rate Rodriguez is going, he will finish with 40 home runs for the season. Despite being an unpopular player and 39 years of age, Rodriguez has been hitting the long ball very well this season. Rodriguez hasn't hit 40 home runs since 2007.

The Yankees struggled early this year, but the Pinstripes currently sit atop the AL East division with a 12-8 record ahead of the Boston Red Sox.

Most of Rodriguez's success has come with the Yankees. His 314 home runs as a Yankee are the sixth-most in franchise history behind Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth. Ruth has the most in Yankees history with 659. Berra sits one spot ahead of Rodriguez with 358 home runs.

Rodriguez also has the most career home runs by a player of Hispanic descent, 50 more than Sammy Sosa, who has the most home runs by any Latin American-born player in MLB history.

Another home run would not only put Rodriguez in elite company, but it would boost his bank account as well. Rodriguez is guaranteed $6 million for each player he ties on the all-time list, meaning he could potentially make another $24 million in bonuses if he were to catch Bonds one day.

Rodriguez's chase to No. 660 hasn't been a quite one. Chasing baseball immortality usually stands out, especially when playing in the Big Apple. ESPN is airing live at bats of Rodriguez to catch the historic home run when it takes place. Rodriguez's legacy has been under much scrutiny because of performance enhancer use, but there's no doubt he ranks near the top of his generation.

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