Girardi miffed at fans cheering A-Rod getting hit by pitch (VIDEO)

Alex Rodriguez's return to the New York Yankees lineup has been met with about as much warmth as one would expect the scandalized third baseman's comeback could muster — especially in front of the Chicago home crowd.

After Monday night's barrage of boos in his 2013 major league debut, A-Rod finally got a little love from Chi-town — even if it came attached to a 93-mph fastball to the elbow from White Sox hurler Chris Sale.

Rodriguez was grazed by a Sale pitch in the third inning. And the fans who had booed Rodriguez for two nights, finally got to sarcastically cheer the Yankees' pariah. 

Afterwards, a miffed Yankees manager Joe Girardi scolded the mean fans.

"There is something wrong with that," he said after his team's 3-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. "I often think it starts from the adults. If it were their child would they want him to be hit? Because the kids are only going to repeat what the adults do." 

Said Rodriguez of the cheers: "I didn't hear that. It was the weirdest thing. I forgot to put my elbow pad on — probably the first time in 2,000 at-bats. Walking up to the plate, I said, 'Whatever you do, don't get hit in the elbow.' On the second pitch, I got hit on the elbow. I couldn't believe it. I love the fans in Chicago." 

Rodriguez claimed the ball barely hit him.

Wait until Girardi hears the home town fans at a packed Yankee Stadium Friday night. Time to bring out the ear muffs.