Alex Rodriguez: "Wow ... I could never have dreamt this five years ago"

Former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez once expressed his gratitude after making a significant comeback in the aftermath of the biogenesis scandal.

In 2019, Rodriguez spoke to USA TODAY Sports about his long-term ban for using steroids. He went on to talk about how life changed for the better after the incident:

“Wow, can you believe it? I could never have dreamt of this five years ago. I’m so grateful for where I am today ... It’s crazy how this has worked out. Really, I’m a confessed baseball nerd ... That’s all I’ve ever been. I’ve been humbled, and I have learned, and now I’m here to help. I’m being me, and I’ve never been happier.’’

After admitting to using steroids in 2009, Rodriguez was handed the longest-ban in MLB history. An appeal reduced the earlier 211-game ban to 162, which still kept him out for the entire 2014 season with the Yankees.

Rodriguez returned a year later, hitting 33 homers that season. After a glorious career spanning nearly two decades, Rodriguez announced his retirement from the league in 2016.

Alex Rodriguez admits infamous PED scandal was the most "embarassing" moment of his career

Alex Rodriguez revealed in an interview with CNN and HBO Max’s “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? earlier this month that he heavily regretted the use of steroids, adding that it took a lot of time to forgive his actions. He said:

“My mistakes. And it was the most embarrassing moment of my career. And it was a mistake that I have now forgiven myself but it took me a while.

"And, Chris, it took a lot of turning the lens inward. And doing a lot of therapy and understanding some of the mistakes and why I was making them how it ties into my childhood."

Alex Rodriguez is now the chairman of his company A-Rod Corp, which deals with real estate and media.

The investigation led to the suspension of 14 other players for violating the drug policy in MLB, including 2011 NL MVP Ryan Braun.

Braun accepted a 65-game suspension, while the others faced 50-game bans. Rodriguez earlier denied the claims but admitted that he indeed took banned substances while playing for the Texas Rangers from 2001 to 2003. He also failed an anonymous drug test during that time.