A-Rod joins exclusive club with HR on 40th birthday

Alex Rodriguez's career came full circle Monday night in Texas.

Rodriguez, celebrating his 40th birthday playing against the team he won his first MVP award with, connected for an opposite-field blast off Rangers left-hander Matt Harrison in the sixth inning to become the fourth player in MLB history to homer in their teens and in their 40s.

He joined Ty Cobb, Gary Sheffield, and Rusty Staub as the only players to accomplish the decades-spanning milestone. Rodriguez hit his first homer off Kansas City Royals right-hander Tom Gordon in 1995 as an 18-year-old rookie with the Seattle Mariners.

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

A-Rod's 24th home run of the season - and 678th of his career - marked the sixth time in his career he's gone deep on his birthday, breaking a tie with Todd Helton, Chipper Jones, Derrek Lee and Al Simmons for the all-time record.

The solo blast helped the Yankees to their third win in a row with a 6-2 victory over his former club.

"The home run is icing on the cake," he said.

PHOTOS: 40-year-old A-Rod through the years

A-Rod's resurgent campaign - his first since 2013 after serving a year-long PED suspension - has made him a front-runner for Comeback Player of the Year, and triggered debate over his merits as an MVP candidate. He entered Monday with his highest OPS (.914) since 2009.

"Some days I feel like 50," he told reporters Sunday on the eve of turning 40. "There are some days I feel like 30. Overall, I'm happy, healthy. I'm in a good place."

Best OPS+ in age-39-or-older season (since 1900)

(Courtesy: ESPN)

Rodriguez notched back-to-back 50-homer seasons with the Rangers after signing a record-breaking $250-million contract in 2001. He was traded to the Yankees following his MVP-winning season in 2003.