Any way one looks at it, Alex Rodriguez was a star. Be it his outstanding play on the diamond or his almost 700 home runs, the former New York Yankees slugger is one of baseball’s icons. But greatness in the form of the World Series found him a little late. Because as talented as a single player is, unless the whole team is on the same page, success cannot be found. Just look at Shohei Ohtani in the last six years.

Rodriguez played for strong teams in Seattle and Texas, but it was only in New York that he finally reached the coveted Fall Classic success. Many great players never get a ring, and up until 2009, A-Rod seemed to be falling in the same category. And while it was a hard year for the retired slugger personally, he finally achieved baseball’s biggest title in the Bronx.

Alex Rodriguez And His 15-Year World Series Wait

Rodriguez falls into the rare category of players who had a career lasting more than two decades. By the end of it, he was far from being in his prime. With two hip surgeries and a glaring suspension for violating the league’s drug policy, Rodriguez’s time in MLB was not all fun. But it was in New York that he found his greatest success, with a World Series ring and a total of three AL MVP awards. In May 2023, when A-Rod sat down for an interview with David Rubenstein, he raised an interesting question.

Which of the two was the more important title for him? Rodriguez had a straightforward answer. “Without a question, it’s the World Series. That’s what you play for. That’s why we dress up, and to do it in New York David, in pinstripes. And, I had to wait 15 years, which felt like 50 or 75 years,” the former Yankee answered.

And indeed, playing in the Bronx, for a fanbase as unforgiving as New York can be, was a daunting task. The mistakes from his past already haunted him. It wasn’t only the drug use from the early 2000s when it was a fairly common practice in the league. But it was also his strained relationship with captain Derek Jeter.

Nevertheless, Rodriguez came out of the funk to end his career with a last hurrah, and even today, that World Series ring means a lot to him.

The Feeling of Victory is Unmatched, Says A-Rod

When asked about the greatest moments in one’s life, many people name it as their wedding day or the day they became a parent. For an athlete, those moments also include the day they won a penultimate title, and A-Rod is no different.

READ MORE – “This Is a Big Moment”- Alex Rodriguez’s Only World Series Ring Nearly Cost Him His Perfect Plan for Jennifer Lopez in 2019

He continues telling Rubenstein, “And they say the Yankees are the World Series champions for the 27th time. That was, with the exception of the birth of my two girls, that was by far the greatest moment of my life.”

Alex Rodriguez’s career may have fizzled out due to controversies and injuries by the end. But it was still an unforgettable 22 years in the league.

WATCH THIS STORY – From 696 Home Runs to Business, Alex Rodriguez Chooses Enterprise Over Daughter’s Tom Brady Dilemma