Mike Lowell, right, is congratulated on his go-ahead, three-run home run in the seventh inning last night by J.D. Drew, left, and Manny Ramirez. Lowell later added another home run, in the seventh inning.

The Providence Journal / Glenn Osmundson

BOSTON — In between getting fitted for his Superman costume and this coming November, Alex Rodriguez has a big decision to make.

Already the highest-paid player in baseball history, Rodriguez has the opportunity to “opt out” of his gargantuan 10-year, $252-million contract with the Yankees and elect free agency.

Should he do that, expect heavy interest from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Chicago Cubs of Wrigleyville.

Oh, and do not by any stretch rule out your Boston Red Sox.

The Red Sox, lest you forget, were the ones who initiated the move to free Rodriguez from his shackles in Texas. When the Sox and Rodriguez couldn’t make the numbers work to their satisfaction — or more precisely, to the satisfaction of the Players Association — they folded, only to be trumped by the Yankees months later.

If Rodriguez were to become available again, the Red Sox would be foolish not to at least investigate. And as last winter taught us, if the Red Sox really, really want a player, they aren’t about to be denied. When they’re motivated, money truly is no object.

There are, to be sure, issues to be considered. As Public Enemy No. 1 among Red Sox fans, the Sox, ever-mindful of public reaction, will want to make sure that the move doesn’t alienate the fan base.

But David Ortiz, for one, thinks that could be overcome.

“Anybody who comes here is welcome,” said Ortiz before last night’s series finale with the Yanks. “You’re not going to boo your own players just because they played somewhere else before. That doesn’t make sense.”

Ortiz, who professes to like Rodriguez, insists the Yankee slugger is simply misunderstood.

“He’s not like people think,” said Ortiz. “I talk to him a lot.”

If the Sox can clear potential chemistry/clubhouse hurdles, there’s little reason not to pursue Rodriguez. As Manny Ramirez’s contract runs down — Ramirez has one guaranteed year left, with the club holding options on two more — Rodriguez is one of two major-league hitters who could replace Ramirez’s presence in the lineup. The other is Albert Pujols, who most assuredly will not be made available anytime soon.

It helps that the Sox could use an upgrade at third base. Mike Lowell’s deal expires at the end of the current season, and while Lowell has been the epitome of professionalism — to say nothing of a defensive stalwart — he’s no match for Rodriguez.

Within the team’s minor-league system, no heir apparent is apparent.

How much would it cost to swipe Rodriguez from the Yankees? Plenty, obviously. Rodriguez has three years left at essentially $75 million. The Red Sox — or any other interested bidder — would have to top the $25-million average annual value and extend A-Rod for more than three years. Something like five years, $135-$140 million ought to do the trick.

Of course, there will be competition. The Cubs, about to be sold, invested heavily in free agents last winter (Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Jason Marquis, Ted Lilly) and could flex their financial muscle as the Midwest version of the Red Sox and Yanks. It helps, too, that the Cubs have Lou Piniella in the dugout, A-Rod’s first big-league manager and still, by all accounts, his favorite.

Then there’s the Angels, who failed to make good on owner Arte Moreno’s promise to land an “impact” player last offseason. Sorry, Gary Matthews Jr. doesn’t count.

Rodriguez, as a Latino in Southern California, could be a huge draw for the Angels, who as their unwieldy moniker suggests, are in a fierce turf battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the hearts and wallets of SoCal baseball fans.

Anaheim might offer Rodriguez just the right amount of cover, since the environment is relaxed to the extreme. There, Rodriguez wouldn’t feel so burdened by expectation or the weight of historical comparison.

Boston, naturally, would provide no such soft landing spot. If anything, it may be the one city tougher than New York, at least initially. But Rodriguez wouldn’t feel compelled to compete with Ortiz and Ramirez for attention and affection, the way he does with Derek Jeter. And if Rodriguez is looking to prove himself, once and for all, to the demanding Yankee loyalists, what better vehicle is there than as a member of the rival Red Sox?

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has already said that his team won’t redo A-Rod’s contract to induce him to stay. But there are some in the game who believe that since the Yankees’ contractual obligation to A-Rod is already being partly subsidized by the Rangers — who contribute approximately $7 million annually — that the Yanks can easily rationalize a sweetened extension.

Where will Rodriguez be this time next year? Who knows? But this much is certain: given the dynamics involved, his pending decision will provide a fascinating subplot to the rest of the season.

smcadam@projo.com