Alex Rodriguez once revealed the impact of his father's abandonment in a raw confession

In Selena Robert's 2009 book, A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez, the author narrated the impact of the former New York Yankees shortstop's father's abandonment on shaping his life.

At 59 years old, A-Rod's father, Victor, couldn't settle into a sedentary lifestyle, leading him to leave the family in 1985. At the age of 10, Alex was deeply affected by his father's departure.

“What did I know back then?” Alex once said. “I thought he was coming back. I thought he had gone to the store or something. But he never came back. He had been so good to me, actually spoiled me because I was the baby of the family. I couldn’t understand what he had done. I still don’t know how a man could do that to his family: turn his back.”

An excerpt from Selena Robert's 2009 book, A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez.

A-Rod was raised by his devoted mother, Loudres, alongside his two half-siblings, Joe and Suzy.

Alex Rodriguez's rise to baseball stardom despite the struggles

New York Yankees Photo Day: TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 25: Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees poses for a photo during Spring Training Media Photo Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 25, 2010, in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

It turns out baseball quickly became a refuge where he could momentarily escape the void left by his father's absence.

Alex Rodriguez's illustrious career can be traced back to his days at Westminster Christian School, where he solidified his status as a star shortstop on the school's baseball team.

Rodriguez's journey to greatness took shape in 1993 when the University of Miami successfully secured a letter of intent from him.

Despite the tempting offer, Rodriguez decided to turn down the baseball scholarship and opted to enter the 1993 amateur draft. To nobody's surprise, he was selected as the first overall pick by the Seattle Mariners, marking the beginning of a legendary MLB career.

Rodriguez made his MLB debut in 1994. From that moment on, he set out to shatter records and achieve extraordinary feats on the baseball field.

Rodriguez amassed numerous accolades, including All-Star appearances, Gold Glove awards, and multiple MVP titles.

After two decades of inspiring performances, Alex Rodriguez decided to bid farewell to the MLB in 2016.