Alex Rodriguez’s Ex-Wife Discusses Challenges of Co-Parenting

Cynthia Rodriguez Nicolas, the ex-wife of baseball star Alex Rodriguez, recently shared her thoughts on the challenges of co-parenting following their divorce. In the second episode of the docuseries Alex vs ARod, which premieres on November 20, 2023, she candidly discussed how Alex’s involvement as a father has been inconsistent since their split in 2008.

Cynthia recalled the early days of their co-parenting arrangement, noting that it was often difficult for their daughters to see their father. “We functioned very quickly co-parenting,” she explained. “The girls, in order to see them, they have to travel and they’re so small. So I would travel with them. He would come back and, if he had a day off, he would come. He was amazing when he was present. It’s just that those times were so select.”

The couple shares two daughters, Natasha, born in 2004, and Ella, born in 2008. Cynthia filed for divorce after six years of marriage, citing Alex’s alleged infidelity and other issues that rendered their relationship “irretrievably broken.” The divorce petition claimed that Alex “emotionally abandoned his wife and children,” leading Cynthia to feel that she had no choice but to end their marriage.

Cynthia attributed some of Alex’s struggles to his upbringing, particularly his relationship with his father, Victor Rodriguez, who abandoned the family when Alex was just nine years old. “I just don’t think he had that perspective or that parent to pull him to the side to say, ‘What are you doing?’” Cynthia reflected. “That’s where the self-confidence comes in, and the groundedness and the rootedness of somebody’s moral fiber. He was lacking in those areas.”

In a bid to improve their relationship, Cynthia facilitated a reunion between Alex and Victor in 2000, but the reconciliation did not yield the desired results. Victor passed away in 2014. “I don’t know, they might still have gone that way,” she pondered regarding the potential impact of a stronger father-son bond. “Maybe his father didn’t have skills that he would have needed.”

Alex himself has acknowledged the influence of his father’s absence on his life decisions. “I’m not sure I would have accomplished what I did on the field with a present father,” he admitted in the series. Yet, he also recognized that having a father around could have helped him avoid some of the mistakes he has made.

As his marriage deteriorated, Alex realized that he struggled with personal development. “Everything was moving so fast,” he recalled. “It was a blur. I could have been really mature on the field, but that doesn’t mean that my off-the-field development was caught up to that.”

Since retiring from baseball in August 2016, Alex has become more involved in his daughters’ lives. Both Natasha and Ella are featured in the docuseries, which aims to provide a deeper look into their family dynamics. The third episode of Alex vs ARod will also premiere on November 20, 2023, at 21:00 ET on HBO, with all episodes available for streaming on HBO Max.

Cynthia’s reflections on their co-parenting experience highlight the complexities of navigating family relationships after divorce, particularly in high-profile situations. The documentary series promises to shed light on these challenges and the ongoing journey of healing and growth for both parents and their children.