A Look Back at Alex Rodriguez’s Sweetest Quotes About Jennifer Lopez Ahead of Their Split

“Bronx to Madison Square Garden. For a cab driver, it’s just a 9.2-mile ride. But for [J. Lo], the road from being a kid running around with holes in her shoes in the Bronx to headlining at the world’s most famous arena, was long and arduous and took years of hard work and relentless dedication. Keep killing it, girl,” the former New York Yankees’ shortstop wrote in a 2019 Instagram shout-out. 

“We’re having a great time, she’s an amazing, amazing girl, and one of the smartest human beings I’ve ever met and also an incredible mother,” Alex expressed during a March 2017 episode of The View.

“Jennifer is one of the most brilliant business minds that I’ve ever met. She’s the hardest working lady … I like that for my daughters, and Jennifer is the role model,” he once told Entertainment Tonight.

“They look at her like she’s the Messiah … When they’re in Las Vegas, I don’t think they leave Jennifer’s side,” Alex previously told People magazine of how his daughters, Ella and Natasha, feel about J. Lo.

A-Rod recalled his first date with Jennifer to Vanity Fair, “I didn’t know if it was a date. Maybe we were seeing each other at night because of her work schedule. I went in uneasy, not knowing her situation,” he began. “ It would be incredibly productive for me to sit with one of the smartest, greatest women in the world, especially for a guy like me who is coming through tough times, rehabbing himself, re-establishing himself to folks out there. I thought it would be a win-win no matter what.”

Before the pair’s first date, however, A-Rod had to figure out if Jennifer was even available. “She told me around the third or fourth inning that she was single,” he told the publication. “I had to get up and go re-adjust my thoughts. I went to the bathroom and got enough courage to send her a text … ‘You look sexy AF.'”

“I can’t believe you are down to your final 12 shows from this three-year journey,” Alex captioned a September 2018 Instagram post for Jennifer. “Your talent and work ethic have made ‘All I Have’ the best show in Vegas. Congrats on an amazing and successful residency and I am privileged to have seen you perform during this incredible run.”

“When we were kids, birthdays were exciting because it was all about the gifts we would be getting. A new bat, dance shoes, maybe a new CD (yes, I’m old!). I see firsthand how that’s changed for Jennifer, and how she’s found joy in sharing with others,” A-Rod wrote for J. Lo’s birthday in 2018. “For someone who has been about giving everything she has 365 days a year — to our children, our families, the world — I hope today, we can give you all the happiness you deserve. I love you mucho, Macha 13.”

“100. That’s the number of extraordinary people we honored tonight. It’s the number of times I say thank you every day for bringing this incredible partner, friend and role model into my life,” Alex wrote following the Time 100 Gala in 2018. “It’s the percent she gives of herself in everything she does. For you, Jennifer, and all the others who make this imperfect world better, we can expect no less from ourselves.”

A-Rod once captioned a stunning selfie of J.Lo, “You’re my world champion. Every. Single. Day.”

Last but definitely not least, A-Rod captioned the duo’s engagement announcement on social media, “Locking it down,” along with a blue heart emoji and the hashtag, “future Mrs. Rodriguez.”