Alex Rodriguez skips Derek Jeter's jersey retirement ceremony at Yankee Stadium to go out for a dinner date with girlfriend Jennifer Lopez

  • Retired Yankees great Derek Jeter was honored at Yankee Stadium on Sunday 
  • Ex-teammates and officials were on hand for Jeter's jersey number retirement 
  • Former Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez was conspicuously absent
  • Rodriguez was spotted with his girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, in midtown Manhattan
  • Jeter and Rodriguez had a famous falling out during their playing days 

By Ariel Zilber For Dailymail.com

Published: 17:00 EST, 15 May 2017 | Updated: 17:25 EST, 15 May 2017

Alex Rodriguez was conspicuously absent at Yankee Stadium for former teammate Derek Jeter’s jersey retirement on Sunday – opting instead to spend an evening at dinner with girlfriend Jennifer Lopez.

The high-powered lovebirds were spotted walking with locked arms outside Nobu in Midtown Manhattan on Sunday.

The former Yankees slugger had flown up to New York from Miami after spending most of Mother’s Day with his family in South Florida.

On Instagram, Rodriguez posted a photo of his family with a caption honoring his mother.

Although he was in New York at the time the Jeter ceremony began, he was nowhere to be found near Yankee Stadium – this despite the fact that other teammates of the Yankees shortstop did appear at the festivities.

Yankees great Derek Jeter (left) and his wife, Hannah, stand beside an honorary plaque during ceremonies honoring the former shortstop at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on Sunday

Yankees great Derek Jeter (left) and his wife, Hannah, stand beside an honorary plaque during ceremonies honoring the former shortstop at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on Sunday

Meanwhile, Jeter's former teammate, Alex Rodriguez, was spotted in Manhattan taking his girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, out to dinner
Meanwhile, Jeter's former teammate, Alex Rodriguez, was spotted in Manhattan taking his girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, out to dinner

Meanwhile, Jeter's former teammate, Alex Rodriguez, was spotted in Manhattan taking his girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, out to dinner

A-Rod’s spokesperson, Ron Berkowitz, told the New York Daily News that his client flew to New York from Miami Sunday evening in order to appear on time Monday morning on CNBC to discuss a charity event for the Robin Hood Foundation.

When asked why Rodriguez was a no-show at the Jeter ceremony, Berkowitz said: ‘I don’t know if (he) was invited.

‘I have no idea.’

Jeter and A-Rod famously had a falling out during their playing days.

Though initially they were friends during the early stages of their careers, the relationship soured after Rodriguez gave an interview to Esquire magazine in April 2001.

The ceremony honoring Jeter (seen posing with a plaque bearing his Number 2 alongside Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and his wife, Christina) was attended by numerous former teammates and coaches - with A-Rod being the notable exception

The ceremony honoring Jeter (seen posing with a plaque bearing his Number 2 alongside Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and his wife, Christina) was attended by numerous former teammates and coaches - with A-Rod being the notable exception

Rodriguez joined the Yankees in 2004. He is seen here at the introductory press conference with then-manager Joe Torre (left) and Jeter (right)

Rodriguez joined the Yankees in 2004. He is seen here at the introductory press conference with then-manager Joe Torre (left) and Jeter (right)

Rodriguez, who was playing for the Texas Rangers at the time after signing a mammoth 10-year, $252million contract, denigrated Jeter as a player who ‘has never had to lead.’

‘He can just go and play and have fun,’ Rodriguez said at the time. ‘He hits second – that’s totally different than third or fourth in the lineup.

‘You go into New York, you wanna stop Bernie [Williams] and Paul [O’Neill]. You never say, “Don’t let Derek beat us.” He’s never your concern.’

When Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees in 2004, Jeter, who was the undisputed leader of the team, gave him the cold shoulder.

Though Rodriguez helped the Yankees win the World Series in 2009, he eventually became a despised figure in the organization after revelations of his rampant steroid use.

Rodriguez ran afoul of Yankee management when he sued the team doctor of misdiagnosing a hip injury in 2012.

Rodriguez posted a congratulatory tweet. 'Thank you for the pleasure of playing alongside you for so many years,' A-Rod tweeted. 'Congrats, Captain.' The two men had a frosty relationship

Rodriguez posted a congratulatory tweet. 'Thank you for the pleasure of playing alongside you for so many years,' A-Rod tweeted. 'Congrats, Captain.' The two men had a frosty relationship

While Rodriguez was loathed, Jeter has always been a beloved figure due to his professionalism, class, and on-field accomplishments.

Jeter was also a vital cog in the team’s run of championship success in the mid-to-late 1990s.

Jeter and Rodriguez recently made a rare appearance together on CNBC, where the interviewer, Bob Pisani, asked them about their contentious relationship.

'This is a treat to see you guys together. You guys are friends now?' Pisani asked an annoyed A-Rod and Jeter, who agreed to appear on the network to promote charitable endeavors.

A-Rod assured Pisani that there was nothing to talk about in relation to their friendship.

'Shortstop, third base. This is exactly how we were back in the day,' the former Yankees captain and steroids-tainted baseball star said.

But Pisani continued his questioning, asking: 'The press made a little thing about the back-and-forth between you two. Was that real?'

'You're bringing up stories from about 20 years ago, huh?' Jeter said, with A-Rod adding: 'Is this the History channel?'  

Comments 21

Share what you think

  View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

  View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.