Synopsis

From the pinnacle of athletic success to the depths of scandal, Alex Rodriguez saw his prolific baseball career marred by a high-profile suspension for performance-enhancing drug use. Told through a series of intimate interviews with Rodriguez, ALEX VS AROD explores the dualities of one of the most polarizing figures in sports. With the benefit of hindsight and years of intense self-examination, Rodriguez confronts the personal struggles and controversies that shaped his journey from “Alex,” a baseball prodigy abandoned by his father, to “A-Rod,” the decorated MLB superstar driven by a relentless pursuit of greatness, no matter the cost. Featuring insights from family, friends, teammates, and broadcasters, the series examines the events that fueled Rodriguez’s rise and fall, as well as his extraordinary talent, his place in baseball history, and the personal growth that defines his life as “Alex” today.

Featured Participants: Alex Rodriguez; Baseball Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Ken Griffey Jr.; former MLB manager, Lou Piniella; Cynthia Rodriguez Nicolas; daughters Natasha and Ella Rodriguez; broadcasters Katie Couric, Mike Francesa, and Michael Kay. 

Directed by Gotham Chopra & Erik LeDrew 

Executive Producers Lindsay Shookus, Gotham Chopra, Ameeth Sankaran, Victor Buhler, Jon Rosen, and Caryn Capotosto 

Co-Executive Producer Erik LeDrew

Producers Francesca DeLutis and Kevin Barth 

HBO Executive Producers Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Bentley Weiner

Supervising Producer Abtin Motia 

Episode Descriptions: 

Part I 

Debut date: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Drafted first overall in the 1993 Major League Baseball draft, 18-year-old Alex Rodriguez quickly rises to stardom as a shortstop with the Seattle Mariners. Seven years later, his transformation into one of the most polarizing figures in sports begins when he signs a controversial, record-breaking contract with the Texas Rangers.

Part II 

Debut date: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13 (9:00-10:20 p.m. ET/PT)

After three seasons with the Texas Rangers, Alex Rodriguez joins the New York Yankees and shifts to third base, with longtime captain Derek Jeter entrenched as the team’s shortstop. Soon, Rodriguez’s personal life dominates tabloid headlines and a 2009 report links him to past performance-enhancing drug use. That same year, he wins his first championship with the Yankees, capping an eventful chapter for the divisive star.

Part III 

Debut date: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20 (9:00-10:15 p.m. ET/PT)

In 2013, a newspaper exposé once again links Alex Rodriguez to performance-enhancing drugs, triggering Major League Baseball’s longest-ever PED suspension and a storm of public hostility. Rodriguez eventually returns to the Yankees with a renewed mindset, setting the stage for a deeper reckoning with his past and a more grounded view of his future.