Alex Rodriguez

Rodriguez was born in 1975 in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan to Dominican immigrants Victor and Lourdes Rodriguez. He was raised alongside his two half-siblings, Joe and Suzy, from his mother's first marriage. When he was four years old, the family moved to the Dominican Republic, then to Miami, Florida. Growing up, Rodriguez's favorite baseball players were Keith Hernandez, Dale Murphy, and Cal Ripken Jr., and his favorite team was the New York Mets.

At the end of Alex's freshman year at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, he transferred to Westminster Christian School, where he was a star shortstop on the baseball team and played quarterback on the football team. In 100 games he batted .419 with 90 stolen bases. Westminster went on to win the high school national championship in his junior year. He was first team prep All-American as a senior, hitting .505 with nine home runs, 36 runs batted in (RBIs), and 35 stolen bases in 35 attempts in 33 games. He was selected as the USA Baseball Junior Player of the Year and as Gatorade's national baseball student-athlete of the year. In 1993, Rodriguez became the first high school player to ever try out for the United States national baseball team. He was regarded as the top prospect in the country.

In 1994, Rodriguez made his professional baseball debut as a minor league player with the Appleton Foxes of the Class A Midwest League. He was promoted to the Jacksonville Suns of the Class AA Southern League. He played in 17 games for Jacksonville, and was promoted to the major leagues. On July 8, 1994, Rodriguez was 18 years old when he debuted in the major leagues as a starting shortstop. He was just the third 18-year-old major league shortstop since 1900. He was also the first 18-year-old major league player in 10 years, and the youngest position player in Seattle history. Rodriguez recorded his first major league hit when he singled off of Sergio Valdez on July 9 at Fenway Park. Rodriguez played in 17 games for the Mariners, compiling a .204 batting average, two RBIs, and three stolen bases. The Mariners optioned Rodriguez to the Calgary Cannons of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL) in August. In 32 games for Calgary, he had 37 hits in 119 at-bats for a .311 batting average. He also compiled six home runs and 21 RBIs.

Rodriguez won his second AL MVP Award in three seasons, becoming the fifth player to win this award with two different teams, joining Mickey Cochrane, Jimmie Foxx, Frank Robinson and Barry Bonds. He also became the first AL player from outside the American League West to win the award since Mo Vaughn of the Boston Red Sox won in 1995. Rodriguez was also named the shortstop on the Major League Baseball Latino Legends Team in 2005.

Rodriguez founded A-Rod Corp, a holding company, in 1996 and the company began making its first investments in 2003. Through the company, Rodriguez has invested in a series of companies in the technology, real estate, wellness, and entertainment industries. In 2008, Alex Rodriguez founded Newport Property Construction, a real estate development firm.

In 1997, Rodriguez batted .300 with 23 home runs and 84 RBIs. He hit for the cycle on June 5, becoming the second Mariner, and at 21 years, 10 months, the fifth youngest player in history, to accomplish the feat. He was the fan's choice to start the All-Star Game at shortstop for the AL team, becoming the first player other than Ripken to start at shortstop in 13 years. It was the first All-Star start of his career and his second All-Star Game in two years.

Rodriguez rebounded in 1998, when he set the AL record for homers by a shortstop and became just the third member of the 40–40 club, (with 42 home runs and 46 stolen bases) and one of just 3 shortstops in history to hit 40 home runs in a season. His 43.9 Power-speed number was, through at least 2008, the highest single season Power/Speed Number ever. He was selected as Players Choice AL Player of the Year, won his second Silver Slugger Award, and finished ninth in the MVP voting.

In 1999, Rodriguez had a .310 average, 42 home runs, and 111 RBIs, despite missing over 30 games with an injury and playing the second half of the season at Safeco Field, a considerably less hitter-friendly ballpark than the Kingdome. At the time, he was the youngest-ever player to record 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases, at 23 years and 309 days of age. In April 2015, Mike Trout reached the same milestone at 23 years and 253 days old.

Rodriguez entered 2000 as the cornerstone player of the Mariners franchise, which had recently traded superstars Randy Johnson and Ken Griffey Jr. Rodriguez put up great numbers as the team's remaining superstar, hitting 41 HR with 132 RBIs and a .316 batting average. He set a career high for walks (100) and became the only shortstop to have 100 runs, RBI, and walks in the same season. He hit well in the playoffs as well (.409 batting average and .773 slugging percentage), but Seattle lost to the New York Yankees in the 2000 American League Championship Series. He was selected as the Major League Player of the Year by Baseball America and finished third in the AL MVP voting.

Rodriguez became a free agent after the 2000 season. He eventually signed with the Texas Rangers, who had fallen to last place in their division in 2000. The contract was at the time the most lucrative contract in sports history: a 10-year deal worth $252 million (equivalent to $374 million in 2019). The deal was worth $63 million more than the second-richest baseball deal. The contract was highly criticized, because it tied up valuable payroll space that could have been spent to improve other areas, such as pitching. Dave McNally, one of the players who had successfully challenged the reserve clause in the 1970s to create free agency in baseball, said, "My first thought when I saw [reports that Rodriguez had signed] was: Did Texas offer him $250 million and he wanted two more? How did they get to $252 million?"

Although testosterone is available by prescription for some uses, Primobolan has no approved prescription use. Also known as methenolone or metenolone enanthate, it is the same steroid that Barry Bonds is alleged to have tested positive for in 2000 and 2001. A fairly weak steroid on its own, it is generally used in conjunction with other steroids. The drug is generally preferred in injected rather than oral form due to its cost. An official statement by Major League Baseball made shortly after Rodriguez's test results became public expressed "grave concern" without naming Rodriguez, noting that "because the survey testing that took place in 2003 was intended to be non-disciplinary and anonymous, we can not make any comment on the accuracy of this report as it pertains to the player named."

Rodriguez followed the previous year with a major league-best 57 HR, 142 RBIs and 389 total bases in 2002, becoming the first player to lead the majors in all three categories since 1984. His nine home runs in April matched a team record that was shared (through 2008) with Iván Rodríguez (2000), Carl Everett (2003), and Ian Kinsler (2007). He had the 6th-most home runs in AL history, the most since Roger Maris' league record 61 in 1961 and the most ever for a shortstop for the 2nd straight year. He won the Babe Ruth Home Run Award for leading MLB in homers that season. He also won his first Gold Glove Award, awarded for outstanding defense.

In 2002, he married Cynthia Scurtis, a psychology graduate he had met at a gym in Miami, Florida. The couple's first child, Natasha Alexander, was born on November 18, 2004. On April 21, 2008, Cynthia gave birth to their second child, Ella Alexander, in Miami, Florida.

The 2003 season was Rodriguez' last year with the Rangers. He led the American League in home runs, runs scored, and slugging percentage, and won his second consecutive Gold Glove Award. He also led the league in fewest at-bats per home run (12.9) and became the youngest player to hit 300 homers. He was tied with Jim Thome for the MLB lead in homers, and he won his second Babe Ruth Home Run Award.

Following the 2003 season, Texas set out to part ways with Rodriguez and his expensive contract. The Rangers initially agreed to a trade with the Boston Red Sox, sending Rodriguez to Boston for Manny Ramirez, 19-year old pitching prospect Jon Lester, and cash considerations. However, the Major League Baseball Players Association vetoed the deal because it called for a voluntary reduction in salary by Rodriguez. Despite the failed deal with the Red Sox, the Rangers named him team captain during that off-season.

The 2003 test results were supposed to remain anonymous and the samples destroyed. However, a coded master list of 104 players was seized during the BALCO investigation, turning up in a 2004 federal raid on Comprehensive Drug Testing's facility in Long Beach, California. A month later, the physical samples were seized by federal agents raiding Quest Diagnostics in Las Vegas, Nevada. The list of the 104 positive-testing players was released to the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) in 2004. The players' union later said that the 104 positive samples were in the process of being destroyed when they were subpoenaed by federal authorities in November 2003, making continued destruction "improper."

In an interview with ESPN after the report came out, citing "an enormous amount of pressure to perform", Rodriguez admitted to using banned substances from 2001 to 2003. "All my years in New York have been clean", he added, saying he has not used banned substances since last taking them following a spring training injury in 2003 while playing for the Rangers. "Back then, [baseball] was a different culture", Rodriguez said. "It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid, I was naïve. And I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time. I did take a banned substance. And for that, I am very sorry and deeply regretful." Rodriguez said he could not be sure of the name(s) of the substance(s) he had used.

Rodriguez absolved the players' union of any blame for leaking his positive test results, saying he alone was responsible for his mistakes. Friend and former teammate Doug Glanville, while noting the outrage over Rodriguez's years of steroid use, berated Rodriguez's critics for their "lack of outrage about how a confidential and anonymous test could be made public." No Major League player, Glanville wrote, would have participated in the 2003 survey if he had thought the results had even a chance of becoming public. "It has everything to do with privacy. Being A-Rod should not change that fact."

In 2003, Rodriguez gave $3.9 million to the University of Miami to renovate its baseball stadium. The new facility was renamed "Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field". Rodriguez remains an ardent University of Miami fan. Despite not having attended the school, he received the University of Miami's Edward T. Foote II Alumnus of Distinction Award in 2007 as an honorary alumnus. Rodriguez had previously been named an "honorary alumnus" of the university in 2004. He is a member of the University of Miami's Board of Trustees.

On February 15, 2004, the Rangers traded Rodriguez to the New York Yankees for second baseman Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later (Joaquín Árias was sent to the Rangers on March 24). The Rangers also agreed to pay $67 million of the $179 million left on Rodriguez's contract. Rodriguez agreed to switch positions from shortstop to third base, paving the way for the trade, because the popular Derek Jeter was already entrenched at shortstop. This was only the second time in MLB history that a reigning MVP was traded, with the first coming in 1914 when Eddie Collins was traded to the Chicago White Sox from the Philadelphia Athletics for cash considerations. Rodriguez also had to switch uniform numbers; he had worn 3 his entire career, but that number is retired by the Yankees in honor of Babe Ruth. Instead, Rodriguez chose to change his number to 13, in honor of Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino. A Miami native himself, Rodriguez had grown up watching Marino and also wore number 13 when he played quarterback in high school.

During his first season with the Yankees, Rodriguez hit .286 with 36 home runs, 106 RBIs, 112 runs scored and 28 stolen bases. He became one of only three players in Major League history to compile at least 35 home runs, 100 runs and 100 RBIs in seven consecutive seasons, joining Hall of Famers Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx. The 112 runs marked the ninth straight season in which he scored at least 100 runs, the longest such streak in the Major Leagues since Hank Aaron did it in 13 straight seasons from 1955 to 1967, and the longest in the American League since Mickey Mantle did it also in nine straight seasons from 1953 to 1961. During the 2004 season, he also became the youngest player ever to reach the 350 HR mark and the third youngest to reach the 1,000 RBI plateau. He was elected to the 2004 American League All-Star Team, the eighth All-Star selection of his career and the first as a third baseman. On July 24, 2004, Rodriguez was hit by a pitch from Bronson Arroyo, which led to a scuffle with Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, and a bench-clearing brawl between both teams. On defense, he had the lowest range factor among non-platoon AL third basemen (2.39) in his first year at the position. He finished 14th in balloting for the AL MVP Award.

In the 2004 ALDS, Rodriguez was a dominant hitter against the Minnesota Twins, batting .421 and slugging .737 while delivering two key extra-inning hits. Following the series win, Rodriguez's first season with the Yankees culminated in a dramatic playoff series against the team he had almost ended up playing for: the Yankees' bitter rival, the Boston Red Sox. In that series (ALCS) he equaled the single-game post-season record with five runs scored in Game 3 at Boston.

Rodriguez said he was never told that he was among the 104 players who tested positive, only that a tip came in August 2004 from Gene Orza of the MLBPA that he "may or may not have" failed his 2003 test. Orza is accused by three (unnamed) MLB players of tipping Rodriguez to an upcoming drug test in September 2004. Orza and the MLBPA have denied the allegations.

In 2005, Rodriguez hit .321, leading the American League with 124 runs and 48 HR while driving in 130 runs. He became the first Yankee to win the American League home run title since Reggie Jackson (41) in 1980. He also became one of only two players in Major League history to compile at least 35 home runs, 100 runs and 100 RBIs in eight consecutive seasons (Jimmie Foxx accomplished the feat in nine straight seasons from 1932 to 1940). Rodriguez established the franchise record for most home runs in a single season by a right-handed batter (broke Joe DiMaggio's mark of 46 in 1937). His 47 HR from the third base position are a single-season American League record. Rodriguez hit 26 home runs at Yankee Stadium in 2005, establishing the single-season club record for right-handed batters (previously held by DiMaggio in 1937 and Gary Sheffield in 2004). On June 8, at 29 years, 316 days old, he became the youngest player in MLB history to reach the 400 HR mark. 2005 also marked the tenth straight season that Rodriguez scored at least 100 runs. On defense, however, he had the lowest range factor in the league at third for the second straight season (2.62).

Rodriguez was again an All-Star in 2006. His 2,000th hit, on July 21, 2006 − six days prior to his 31st birthday − was also his 450th home run. Rodriguez became the youngest player in baseball history to reach 450 home runs (surpassing Ken Griffey, Jr., by 267 days), and the eighth player to reach 2,000 hits before turning 31. Ty Cobb reached the mark while still 29, while Rogers Hornsby, Mel Ott, Hank Aaron, Joe Medwick, Jimmie Foxx, and Robin Yount all achieved their 2,000th hit at age 30. All seven are members of baseball's Hall of Fame.

When Rodriguez reported to camp in 2007, he had reduced his body fat from 16% the year before to 9%. He made light of this fact during a Late Show with David Letterman sketch that was filmed during Spring training, which featured him shirtless being rubbed down with suntan lotion. He revealed to the press that he and Jeter were no longer close friends. Rodriguez also reduced his high leg kick at the plate, increasing his bat speed, making him less-apt to strike out and a more dangerous hitter.

In 2007, Rodriguez became the first player in major league history to have at least 35 home runs, 100 runs, and 100 RBIs in 10 consecutive seasons, surpassing Jimmie Foxx (9 consecutive seasons). He led the AL in home runs (54), RBIs (156), slugging percentage (.645), OPS (1.067), total bases (376), and times on base (299), and was 2nd in hit by pitch (21), extra base hits (85), and at bats per home run (10.8), 4th in on-base percentage (.422) and sacrifice flies (9), 7th in walks (95) and plate appearances (708), 8th in intentional walks (11), and 9th in games (158). He led MLB in home runs and won his third Babe Ruth Home Run Award.

The 2007 season marked the last year of Rodriguez's 10-year, $252 million contract before he opted out and became a free agent again. Rodriguez had repeatedly stated during the 2007 season that he would like to remain a Yankee for the rest of his career. On October 28, 2007, Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, announced that he would not renew his contract with the Yankees citing that he "was unsure of the future composition" of the team. He received a slew of criticism from fans and writers alike not only for opting out, but also for not meeting with Yankee management before he did. He was further criticized for the timing of his announcement, during the eighth inning of Game Four of the World Series, as the Boston Red Sox were wrapping up their victory over the Colorado Rockies; even MLB's chief operating officer, Bob DuPuy, called it an attempt by Boras to "try to put his selfish interests and that of one individual player above the overall good of the game."

Teammate Mariano Rivera convinced Rodriguez to contact the New York Yankees ownership. He contacted them directly, bypassing Boras (Boras also apologized for the timing of the announcement). Subsequently, Rodriguez issued a statement on his website, saying that he wished to stay with the Yankees. On November 15, 2007, the New York Yankees and Rodriguez agreed on the "basic framework" of a 10-year, $275 million contract that would have him playing until he is 42. The contract, finalized December 13, included various multimillion-dollar incentives for breaking career home run milestones.

Rodriguez hit his 549th home run in a September 3, 2008, game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The opposing manager objected that the ball was foul, and for the first time in MLB history, instant replay (a process officially introduced a few days earlier) was used to review the play and uphold the umpires' ruling. He was one of only four batters in the AL to have at least 18 home runs and 18 stolen bases in both 2007 and 2008, along with Torii Hunter, Ian Kinsler, and Grady Sizemore. Rodriguez hit a home run every 14.6 at-bats in 2008, the second best ratio on the team behind Jason Giambi. Rodriguez played 138 games during the 2008 season with a .302 average, 35 home runs, 103 RBI, and an AL best .573 slugging percentage.

In July 2007, former outfielder and steroid-user Jose Canseco said that he was planning to publish another book about Major League Baseball, to follow his 2005 bestseller Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big. Canseco said his new book would have "other stuff" on Rodriguez, and called him a hypocrite. At the time, Rodriguez denied accusations of steroid use. In a 2007 interview with Katie Couric, Rodriguez flatly denied ever having used performance-enhancing drugs.

Much of the criticism regarding Rodriguez focuses on his alleged inability to produce hits in clutch situations. In 2008, Rodriguez hit only .264 with runners in scoring position and two outs. In 95 plate appearances, he walked 20 times and was hit by three pitches, and he had only 19 hits. Of the 41 times Rodriguez struck out with two outs, 20 came with runners in scoring position.

Cynthia Rodriguez filed for divorce on July 7, 2008, citing "emotional abandonment" of her and their children, as well as "extra marital [sic] affairs and other marital misconduct" by her husband. Rodriguez responded in court documents that the marriage was "irretrievably broken" but requested that allegations of his "extramarital affairs" be stricken from court records. The couple reached a settlement that September. In July, Madonna responded to rumors of an affair with Rodriguez by issuing a statement saying, "I am not romantically involved in any way with Alex Rodriguez" and has "nothing to do with the state of his marriage".

On February 7, 2009, Sports Illustrated reported that Rodriguez tested positive for testosterone and the anabolic steroid Primobolan in 2003. Rodriguez's name appears on a government-sealed list of 104 major-league players (out of 1200 tested) who came up positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The report was compiled as part of Major League Baseball's 2003 survey to see whether mandatory random drug testing program might be necessary. At the time, there was no penalty or punishment for a positive steroid test. Rodriguez did not immediately confirm the allegations, deferring at first to the players' union. Two days after the allegations, Rodriguez admitted to steroid use from 2001 until 2003, claiming that he ceased using such substances after spring training that year.

Prior to the 2009 season, Rodriguez was scheduled to represent the Dominican Republic in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, but he was forced to withdraw when an MRI revealed a cyst in his right hip. When he went to have the cyst drained, it was discovered that he was also suffering from a torn labrum in the same hip. Rodriguez opted to undergo an arthroscopic procedure with a recovery period of six to nine weeks, instead of the usual three to four months. Although the procedure should have allowed him to make it through the season without any complications, he required a second, more extensive surgery in the off-season.

On October 4, 2009, during the final game of the season, Rodriguez hit two home runs in the sixth inning that drove in seven runs, setting an American League record for most RBI by a batter in a single inning, and giving him his 12th consecutive season, 13 overall, of reaching 30 home runs and 100 RBIs, breaking a tie with Manny Ramirez, Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx for the most in MLB history.

Because of the Yankees' successful history, he was compared unfavorably to other Yankees greats who have performed exceptionally well in the postseason, such as Reggie Jackson. However, after his performance in the 2009 postseason, Rodriguez started receiving many positive comparisons to Reggie Jackson, even being selected as "Mr. October" by Jackson and USA Today.

Rodriguez answered many of the criticisms of his postseason performance by performing exceptionally well in the 2009 postseason, where he posted a .365 batting average and hit six home-runs in 52 at-bats during the Yankees' 15 post-season games.

In February 2009, Selena Roberts and David Epstein of Sports Illustrated reported that Rodriguez had tested positive for two anabolic steroids, testosterone and Primobolan, during his 2003 season playing for the Texas Rangers, the same season in which he captured his first American League Most Valuable Player award, broke 300 career home runs (hitting 47 that year), and earned one of his ten Silver Slugger Awards. The information had been part of a government-sealed report detailing 104 major league players (out of 1200 players tested) who tested positive for performance enhancers during a 2003 drug survey. Approved by the players themselves with the promise of anonymity, the survey was conducted by Major League Baseball to see whether a mandatory drug testing program might be necessary. At the time, as the result of a collectively bargained union agreement, there was no penalty or punishment for a positive test. Because more than 5% of the samples taken from players in 2003 came back positive, mandatory testing of major league baseball players began in 2004, with penalties for violations.

On August 4, 2010, on the 3-year anniversary of his 500th home run, Rodriguez became the seventh player in major league history to hit 600 home runs, hitting number 600 off Shaun Marcum of the Toronto Blue Jays, becoming the youngest player to do so at 35 years and 8 days old. On August 14, Rodriguez hit three home runs in a game against the Kansas City Royals. In the top of the 6th, he hit his first, a solo dinger to left center. In the top of the 7th, he hit his second, a two-run shot to dead center. In the top of the 9th, he hit his third, a towering two-run blast into the waterfall in Kauffman Stadium. On September 6, he recorded his 100th RBI; it was the 14th year he had reached the mark, the most times of any player in baseball history. On Sep 29, he hit his 30th home run of the season, recording his major league record 13th straight year of at least 30 home runs and 100 RBIs, breaking a tie with Jimmie Foxx, who had 12 seasons.

Rodriguez was featured in a 2010 Pepsi Cola commercial as a truck driver in a fleet of delivery trucks simulating players in a baseball game. At the end of the commercial when he drives his vehicle to make a catch, he is told by his approving partner in the truck that he has a future in the beverage delivery business.

On February 28, 2010, The New York Times reported that Rodriguez received treatment from Canadian sports doctor Anthony Galea in March 2009. In 2011, Galea reached a plea agreement for bringing unapproved and mislabeled drugs into the United States, including human growth hormone (HGH) and Actovegin. Galea confirmed to the Associated Press that he treated Rodriguez but said he only prescribed anti-inflammatories.

Alex Rodriguez is a Miami-Dade Boys & Girls Clubs Board Member. Rodriguez and A-Rod Corp donated $1 million to Boy & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade in 2010, building a state-of-the-art educational center for students. Rodriguez donated an additional $1 million to Boys & Girls Club in conjunction with MLB. In addition, Rodriguez created a scholarship program for Boys and Girls Club alumni to attend the University of Miami, sponsoring more than 25 students since inception of the program. In 2017, Rodriguez and A-Rod Corp donated $500,000 to the University of Miami School of Business Administration.

In 2011, Rodriguez batted .295 with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs prior to the All-Star break. Despite good production, Rodriguez suffered his longest single season home run drought of his career by not hitting one in 85 at-bats. Although elected to start the game, Rodriguez opted for arthroscopic surgery on his knee to repair a torn meniscus that impacted his power, and was placed on the disabled list. On top of recovery, Rodriguez was facing serious allegations that he participated in illegal, underground poker games. One of those games reportedly turned violent and cocaine was openly used. However, Rodriguez denied through a representative that he ever participated in illegal poker games. An MLB Executive has said that if Rodriguez was indeed proven guilty, he may face a suspension; MLB had warned Rodriguez in 2005 not to participate in such games.

As of 2011, Rodriguez was represented by sports agent Dan Lozano. As of 2018, he was being represented by Jon Rosen of WME/IMG.

Rodriguez hit his 23rd career grand slam off Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Jonny Venters on June 12, 2012, which tied Lou Gehrig for the most in MLB history. In a road loss versus the Seattle Mariners on July 24, 2012, Rodriguez took a hit to the hand during an eighth inning at bat versus Seattle starting pitcher Félix Hernández. The injury was later described as a non-displaced fracture. Rodriguez was placed on the disabled list. Earlier in the same game, Hernandez struck out Rodriguez in the sixth inning, making Rodriguez the fifth player to record 2,000 career strikeouts in MLB history.

During the 2012 postseason, Rodriguez was removed for a pinch hitter multiple times and did not start many times. He batted 3-for-25 overall, and went 0-for-18 with 12 strikeouts against right-handed pitchers. He batted .111 in the 2012 ALCS. The Yankees were eliminated by the Tigers in the 2012 ALCS.

Rodriguez made his 2013 return with the Yankees on August 5, which was the same day that MLB announced he would be suspended—pending an appeal— through the 2014 season for his role in the Biogenesis scandal. On August 11, Rodriguez hit his first home run of the season off Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander. With the home run, Rodriguez passed Stan Musial for fifth place in career RBIs. Rodriguez continued to feud with the Yankees front office following his return, as his lawyers accused the team, and specifically Christopher S. Ahmad, of mishandling his hip injury in several ways; Rodriguez's legal team contended that the team withheld the injury from him and continued to play him in 2012, despite his condition. Yankees team president Randy Levine expressed negative comments towards Rodriguez, saying that he would "feel happy if Rodriguez never played again". In response to the accusations, Cashman said, "I'm not comfortable talking to Alex about this because we feel we are in a litigious environment. Hello and goodbye, that's about it." He added, "It's not just Yankees' management. He's putting it at the level of our trainers, our medical staff. The organization. The team."

In 2012, he founded Monument Capital Management which had acquired more than $700 million of real estate assets as of 2019. According to Architectural Digest, the company owned over 15,000 apartments in 13 states.

Rodriguez partnered with Mark Mastrov in 2012 to create the Energy Fitness gym chain in Mexico City. Rodriguez sold a Mercedes-Benz dealership in League City, Texas to Group 1 Automotive in 2014.

On January 16, 2013, Rodriguez underwent arthroscopic surgery in his hip to repair a torn labrum. It was the second time in four years that he had the surgery, although the operation was more serious than before. Rodriguez began the 2013 season on the 60-day disabled list.

Rodriguez played his first rehab assignment game on July 2, 2013, with the Yankees Class-A Low affiliate, the Charleston RiverDogs. He continued his rehabilitation and played for the Yankees Triple-A team, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on July 18. Two days prior to his scheduled promotion to the major league roster, Rodriguez sustained a new injury, as an MRI later revealed a Grade 1 quad strain, delaying his return and forcing him to continue rehabilitating in the minor leagues. Rodriguez independently sought a second opinion on his quad strain on July 24 with a doctor who stated that there did not appear to be an injury; the Yankees front office expressed further dismay, claiming that he violated league rules for seeking a second opinion without the team's permission. He completed his rehabilitation program with the Yankees' Double-A affiliate Trenton Thunder.

During a game against the Red Sox on August 18, 2013, Rodriguez was involved in key moments against Ryan Dempster. The first time he faced Dempster, Rodriguez was hit by a pitch on a 3-0 count, leading to home plate umpire Brian O'Nora warning both benches and ejecting Girardi, while Dempster was allowed to stay in the game. Later in the top of the 6th inning, Rodriguez encountered Dempster again, hitting a 442-foot home run to straightaway center. The Yankees won 9–6, and Dempster, who hit Rodriguez before, was suspended 5 games by the league with an undisclosed fine (although he did not miss a start).

Rodriguez reportedly received HGH from Biogenesis of America, an anti-aging clinic in Coral Gables, Florida, run by Bosch. For much of the summer of 2013, it had been expected that Rodriguez would be suspended for his role in the scandal. The first definitive confirmation came on August 3, 2013, when MLB rebuffed the players' union's last-minute offer to negotiate. Instead, it gave Rodriguez until the afternoon of August 4 to reach an agreement regarding a suspension or greater punishment for his role in the Biogenesis affair.

A lengthy arbitration process followed, but the suspension was upheld on January 11, 2014. However, since Rodriguez was allowed to play during the appeal process, this effectively reduced the suspension to 162 games – the entirety of the 2014 regular-season schedule. Because Rodriguez was on the suspended list retroactive through August 31, the suspension would have included the postseason if the Yankees qualified (but did not qualify that year). He subsequently issued a statement saying he would be challenging the decision in federal court. On February 7, 2014 Rodriguez announced that he was dropping his lawsuit and accepting his suspension for the 2014 season. In March 2014, multiple sources reported that Rodriguez was refusing to pay the balance of his legal fees for his defense, which amounted to over $3 million. In July 2014, Rodriguez was in fact sued by his lawyers for $380,000 in unpaid legal fees.

In November 2014, it was revealed that back in January Rodriguez had admitted to the Drug Enforcement Administration that he had used performance-enhancing drugs. This was contrary to his sentiments of 18 days earlier, when he had vehemently denied the allegations and also denied having used human growth hormones.

In the off-season, during the week of January 19, 2015, it was reported that Rodriguez met with new Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred, resulting in a "positive discussion, lasting 10 minutes in which Rodriguez apologized, while promising to behave in the future". On February 17, 2015, Rodriguez issued a hand-written letter of apology to "Major League Baseball, the Yankees, the Steinbrenner family, the Players Association and you, the fans".

From August 1 until the end of the season, Rodriguez appeared in 56 games, batting .191, .678 OPS, nine home runs, and struck out 59 times in 183 at-bats. The first base experiment yielded two total appearances in 2015. He finished with 33 home runs, 86 RBI, 131 hits, and a .252 batting average. He led the Yankees in home runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, on-base plus slugging, and bases-on-balls. Rodriguez reached 30+ home runs for the 15th time in his career, tying Aaron for the most 30-home-run seasons in history.

On April 17, 2016, Rodriguez became the 19th player to make 12,000 career plate appearances. On May 4, the Yankees placed him on the 15-day disabled list due to a right hamstring strain. On May 24, the Yankees sent him on a rehab assignment to the Double-A Trenton Thunder, and activated him on May 26. The next day, he hit his 30th career home run at Tropicana Field, which traveled an estimated 440 feet (130 m), as the Yankees defeated Tampa Bay, 4–1. However, for much of the season, Rodriguez notably struggled to adequately produce, enduring prolonged slumps as his role dwindled from everyday designated hitter to pinch hitter. In July, he had two extra base hits, including his 696th career home run.

At a press conference held on August 7, Rodriguez announced that he would play in his final game for the Yankees on the following Friday, August 12, against the Rays at Yankee Stadium. It was also noted that the Yankees would sign him to a new contract that would keep him in the organization through 2017 as a special instructor and advisor. In the offseason, Rodriguez would join the Yankees' front office as a special advisor. The club commemorated Rodriguez's final game as a Yankee, thanking him in front of a sold-out crowd for his efforts with a tribute of highlights on the stadium videoboard, a presentation of a framed number 13 jersey, and a base autographed by teammates. This was in stark contrast to the year-long farewell tour given to his former Yankee teammate Derek Jeter. At the plate, he batted third and started as the designated hitter, going 1-for-4 with an RBI double. In the ninth inning, he was brought onto the field at third base for one batter − his only defensive appearance for the Yankees in 2016 − and departed the field to a "raucous ovation" from the fans. The next day, the Yankees granted him his unconditional release.

Rodriguez invested in NRG Esports alongside Shaquille O'Neal and Jimmy Rollins in 2016. In 2017, A-Rod Corp gained the rights to develop UFC-branded fitness centers across southern Florida. That year, A-Rod Corp purchased a major equity stake in TruFusion, a Las Vegas-based fitness studio chain, and invested in the beverage brand Dirty Lemon.

In January 2017, Rodriguez's spokesman said that he would not play for any other team in the coming year, and would remain a "special advisor" to Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner.

Alex Rodriguez became a guest judge on Shark Tank in 2017. That same year, he signed a deal with ABC News network to serve as a contributor to ABC World News Tonight, Good Morning America, and Nightline.

Alex Rodriguez joined ESPN in 2018 as a Sunday Night Baseball analyst, alongside Matt Vasgersian and Buster Olney.

Rodriguez became the host of the show Back in the Game with the first episode debuting on CNBC in March 2018. The series focuses on Rodriguez mentoring athletes and entertainers who have fallen on hard times. A four-episode series debuted in November 2019 and featured Evander Holyfield, Ryan Lochte, Brian Dunkleman and Nicole Eggert.

In 2018, A-Rod Corp invested in Petros Pace Finance, a financier of green development.

Alex Rodriguez partnered with Barstool Sports in 2018 to co-create The Corp Podcast with Dan Katz aka Barstool Big Cat. The podcast interviews industry leaders, athletes, and entrepreneurs. Season 1 featured Kobe Bryant, Gary Vaynerchuk, Barbara Corcoran, Mike Francesa, Michael Rubin and Barry Sternlicht. Season 2 featured Kevin Bacon, Martha Stewart, Danica Patrick, Stephanie McMahon, Maria Bartiromo, and Howard Schultz.

He is an MLB studio analyst for FOX Sports, working alongside Kevin Burkhardt, David Ortiz and Frank Thomas. During his tenure as analyst, FOX Sports’ MLB studio show won back-to-back Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Studio Show during the network's coverage of the 2016 & 2017 postseason. Rodriguez was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality, Studio and Sports Event Analyst in 2019.

In 2019, Rodriguez was featured in a Planters Super Bowl commercial, where he is watching the game and about to snack on some kale chips but Mr. Peanut drives in to stop him from eating kale and instead snack on some Peanuts.

In 2019, the company invested in the co-living startup Bungalow, Acorns, and Sonder Corp. That same year, Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez partnered with telehealth company Hims and Hers to provide affordable healthcare. Rodriguez also invested in Density, a technology company specializing in people counting.

As of February 2017, he has been dating American singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. In March 2019, they announced their engagement. In a 2020 interview with Devin Bannerjee, Rodriguez described Lopez as "a powerhouse" stating "I've never met anyone who has the work ethic, the vision, the principles that Jennifer possesses. She does so many things that people call her a triple threat. I call her an octopus threat."

In October 2019, Rodriguez, along with Jennifer Lopez, donated a year's worth of meals from Tiller & Hatch to Tennessee elementary students. In April 2020, Rodriguez and Lopez donated 20,000 prepared Tiller & Hatch meals to help hospitality workers in the Miami area who had lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is also a member of the Paley Center for Media's board of trustees.

In July 2020, it was announced that Rodriguez would be part of the judging panel for the Forbes' Next 1000 list, a franchise which focuses on entrepreneurs from marginalized communities.

In 2020, Alex Rodriguez was featured in a Presidente beer Super Bowl commercial, showcasing the Dominican pride of the beer. He appeared in the 2020 Superbowl Hard Rock ad which also featured Jennifer Lopez.

Rodriguez became the new chairman of Presidente, a Dominican beer company owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev in January 2020. A-Rod Corp invested in Nova Credit, a financial technology company, in February 2020.

In July 2020, it was reported that Rodriguez and Lopez were leading a group of investors bidding on the New York Mets, and had moved to the second stage of the bidding process. The investors backing Rodriguez and Lopez included billionaires Mike Repole and Vincent Viola.