Alex Rodriguez Is Joking About His Relationship Status: ‘That’s Maybe Why I’m Single’

Alex Rodriguez has reached the stage of the breakup where he’s ready to joke about it.

On October 7, the former baseball player joined Kevin Burkhardt, David Ortiz, and Frank Thomas for roundtable coverage of the American League Division Series. While discussing a group of Tampa Bay Rays players enjoying popcorn in the middle of their game against the Boston Red Sox, Burkhardt pointed out that Rodriguez had his own funny moment with the snack back in 2010.

The video then cut to a throwback clip of Rodriguez slightly struggling to chomp at some popcorn hand-fed to him by then-girlfriend Cameron Diaz. The actor and Yankees legend famously dated for years before breaking up in 2011. In fact, “popcorn-gate” got enough coverage at the time that Diaz defended the moment on The Late Show with David Letterman. “It was the only piece of popcorn that I even put near his face, and they happened to have the camera on right when I did it,” she said at the time.

Now, after his recent split from ex-fiancee Jennifer Lopez, Rodriguez is ready to joke about it. “KB, that’s maybe why I’m single,” he said with a chuckle.

Alex Rodriguez wasn’t always able to joke so cavalierly about his relationship status. In April, the former couple released a joint statement about ending their engagement. “We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so,” they said. “We will continue to work together and support each other on our shared businesses and projects. We wish the best for each other and one another’s children. Out of respect for them, the only other comment we have to say is thank you to everyone who has sent kind words and support.” 

At the time, Rodriguez was reportedly “willing to do anything” to reconcile with Lopez before the news dropped that the pop star was dating her ex, Ben Affleck. At the time, he didn’t seem to be taking it all too well. “A-Rod is shocked that J.Lo has moved on,” a source told E! Online back in May. “He truly thought they would be able to make it work and reconnect. He has been reaching out to J.Lo trying to meet with her and she has been very short with him.”

The source continued that Rodriguez is “saddened” by her rekindled romance and reached out to let her know “he’s upset.”

However, he seemed to have put things in perspective by late August. “I had five years of an incredible life and partnership and also with my daughters, we learned so much,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “Now we have the opportunity to take that and move forward and say, ‘You know what? We’re so grateful for the last five years, how do we make the next five years better because of lessons learned?’”

He continued, “So I’m in a great place. I’m so grateful for where God and the light has really put me, and I’m really looking forward.”