While his accolades on the field speak for themselves, the baseball icon Alex Rodriguez he’s also proud of his behind-the-scenes efforts to change attitudes about athletes’ mental health.
“Like most humans, everyone has certain obstacles in their life, right?” Rodriguez, 50, said so exclusively Us Weekly at the New York premiere Alex vs ARod on Monday, November 3. “Some bigger than others, some more public than others, but I just encourage everyone that there’s a need for help. A lot of people can’t afford a therapist, but maybe there’s a good friend, maybe there’s a family member that you can vent to sometimes because you need a place to vent.”
During an appearance on the “Throwbacks” podcast with Matt Leinart i Jerry Ferrara Last month, Rodriguez confessed that “therapy saved my life.”
Rodriguez’s openness about going to therapy is a far cry from the buttoned-down baseball culture the 14-time All-Star experienced when he made his major league debut in 1994 with the Seattle Mariners.
“When I started my career, (therapy) was a big no-no in the locker room,” she explained. “But I think what I’m so proud of today is that it’s really celebrated. I hope that young kids, the next generation that sees this documentary, can not only avoid some of the mistakes that I made, but if they need help, that’s celebrated. You should go get help.”
Alex against Arodpremiering Thursday, Nov. 6 on HBO, details Rodriguez’s complicated career through two lenses: Alex Rodriguez the man, and ARod, the legendary baseball talent who was suspended for 211 games in 2013 after being accused of using performance-enhancing drugs.
“ARod is a person and Alex is a human being,” director and executive producer Gotham Chopra He told us “Especially now, as I’ve gotten to know him, Alex is a father, Alex is thoughtful. It’s because of ARod that he became one of the greatest players of any generation. It’s also because of ARod that he got into the trouble that he did. But I think Alex has a lot of perspective now. I think he got caught up in his fame.”
Chopra continued, “I mean, he talks about it openly, and so I think Alex is someone who’s grown a lot and also become very honest and responsible. Hopefully, that’s the part that people see through the movie.”
Erik LeDrewwho directed and produced the docuseries alongside Chopra, said he sees Alex and ARod as “the same person.”
“It’s like a false distinction, isn’t it?” LeDrew argued. “We all wear masks with different people, whether it’s in public or private, with family, with friends. I think most of us don’t have to do that on the biggest stage, and so those differences are magnified under intense scrutiny and pressure. That’s my perspective. It’s the same guy.”
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However, LeDrew noticed a distinction between the two people.
“If you want the short answer, I think Alex is a great listener and ARod barks orders,” he said.
The first episode of Alex vs ARod premieres Thursday, November 6 on HBO and HBO Max, with episodes two and three premiering on November 13 and 20, respectively.
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