Alex Rodriguez Misstates Justin Verlander's Career History During All-Star Game Interview

Alex Rodriguez made significant factual errors about Justin Verlander's career during a Fox Sports All-Star Game broadcast Monday night. While discussing players who performed at a high level into their 40s, Rodriguez incorrectly stated that Verlander was a late draft pick and had been designated for assignment multiple times early in his career. Verlander, who was announced as a Commissioner's "Legends Pick" for the All-Star Game and declared his retirement plans for the end of the season, corrected the record on air.

What Actually Happened

During the Fox studio coverage before the Home Run Derby in Philadelphia, Rodriguez, alongside Derek Jeter, David Ortiz, and Kevin Burkhardt, interviewed Verlander about his longevity as a pitcher. Rodriguez began by comparing Verlander to other athletes who sustained elite performance into their 40s, including Tom Brady, Jeter, Ortiz, and Mariano Rivera.

Rodriguez then posed a question to young players watching: "But for the young ones out there watching, how do you explain being a late draft pick, being designated for assignment a couple times with two different teams, right?" Verlander immediately responded with "Me?" before stating, "You got the wrong notes."

The Factual Record

Verlander was actually the No. 2 overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers. Throughout his 21-year career, he was never designated for assignment. The pitcher went on to have one of the most successful and durable careers in modern baseball history, making him a legitimate candidate for Hall of Fame consideration.

Rodriguez then claimed he had been joking, stating "I'm kidding, I'm kidding," but his delivery and the appearance of reading from notes made the explanation unconvincing to observers. David Ortiz, seated next to Rodriguez, visibly reacted with confusion and laughter at the exchange.

Public Response and Questions

The interview sparked considerable online discussion about how the errors occurred. Some observers speculated that a producer may have provided Rodriguez with incorrect notes, while others suggested he may have confused his talking points with those of another player. The fact that Rodriguez faced Verlander 40 times during his playing career—compiling a .314 batting average with five home runs against him—made the misstatement particularly noteworthy to baseball fans.