Photo by Michael Loccisano and David Berding/Getty
Alex Rodriguez is causing quite a stir on social media following his appearance at a basketball game.
The former baseball star shocked fans and onlookers as he watched the Timberwolves take on the Bucks on Friday (February 23).
It was his noticeable darker appearance that was causing all the commotion on platforms such as X. Rodriguez flashed a tan so intense that it was hard not to notice the deepened skin color.
Rodriguez’s tan broke the internet late Friday and early Saturday — not even an Instagram filter could compete with the tan, oh-kay!
And, as always, it wasn’t long before the social media frenzy began, with his glowing appearance going viral faster than one could say “Rodriguez.”
One person by the username @JeffjSays jokingly tweeted a side-by-side of the New Yorker along with revamped lyrics from Kanye West’s song ‘Slow Jamz.’
“Got a light-skinned friend look like Alex Rodriguez, Got a dark-skinned friend look like Alex Rodriguez,” they tweeted.
“I can’t believe Alex Rodriguez showed up to the game last night looking like C. Thomas Howell in Soul Man,” another X user by the name @BeanzGotGamez wrote.
The unusual tan even drew comparisons to Ross Geller’s iconic spray tan mishap from the sitcom ‘Friends.’
Others compared it to the “reverse Sammy Sosa” trend, referencing the former baseball player’s dramatic change in skin tone.
And while the internet was busy generating memes in reaction to A-Rod’s dark tan, the Timberwolves had a tough night on the court.
Despite their best efforts, the team eventually fell 112-107 against the Bucks. But even this loss seemed to be overshadowed by the attention drawn by Rodriguez’s complexion.
It’s probably worth noting that the father of two recently enjoyed a family vacation to the Dominican Republic.
He shared a post of the fun-filled trip to his Instagram on January 6, with an accompanying caption that read, “Good to be back.”
Rodriguez appeared darker than usual in the photos shared after this post. This could suggest that he had been soaking up some serious sunshine rather than it being a case of a self-tan gone wrong.
In 2021, it was announced that the 48-year-old and his billionaire business partner Marc Lore had agreed to purchase the Timberwolves for a whopping $1.5 billion.
By March 2023, CBS Sports reported that they had paid $500 million of that sum, with the rest being paid in multiple installments. Rodriguez had also previously attempted to purchase the Mets with his then-fiancée Jennifer Lopez, though the deal fell through.
While it remains unclear how A-Rod achieved his dramatic tan, the incident adds to his long list of headline-making moments.
So far, however, Rodriguez has not responded to the attention he’s been getting from showing off his new look.
Roomies, are y’all feeling the tan on him?
