Josie Canseco and AJ Smith-Shawver: The instagram signs that sparked breakup rumors

R umors of a possible breakup between Josie Canseco and AJ Smith-Shawver intensified on August 19 , after followers noticed several changes that fueled speculation: the photos they had shared together on Instagram had disappeared, and both stopped following each other on the platform.

They had been together for more than a year

To understand why the changes caused such a stir, it is worth going back to 2025, when Canseco and Smith-Shawver began their relationship. For roughly 15 months, they shared different moments from their romance and even celebrated their first anniversary in May 2026 .

Josie posted photos with the pitcher at the time and wrote a message expressing how lucky she felt to have him in her life. At least publicly, the relationship appeared to be going through a good moment.

That is why the fact that those photos are no longer on their profiles months later stands out.

Josie continues sharing her own story

Canseco, 29, has a career that extends far beyond her relationships with athletes. She is the daughter of former MLB star José Canseco and Jessica Canseco , and has built her own career as a model and social media personality.

Her Instagram continues to feature photo shoots, campaigns, workouts and moments from her personal life. In fact, her most recent feed post, shared about six days ago, includes a photo with her father .

Smith-Shawver is nowhere to be seen . That detail contrasts with what was happening just a few months ago, when the baseball player was still part of the posts documenting her romantic life.

AJ had just reclaimed his place in MLB

Smith-Shawver's story also deserves a closer look, as his 2026 season has been shaped by a comeback that took more than a year to build.

The Atlanta Braves selected the right-hander in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft , and he made his major league debut on June 4, 2023 . Then came his biggest setback: on May 23, 2025 , he suffered an elbow injury that ultimately led to Tommy John surgery in early June.

His return to the major leagues came on July 29, 2026 , when Atlanta called him up to start against the New York Mets . He later returned to Triple-A with the Gwinnett Stripers, where his performance earned him International League Pitcher of the Week honors on August 17 .

One day later, the Braves brought him back into their rotation. On August 19, he took the mound against the Minnesota Twins , pitching four and one-third innings while allowing five hits and four runs.

Two stories moving forward at the same time

And that is the coincidence that ultimately raised questions. On August 19, AJ was rebuilding a part of his career he had been away from for more than a year, while speculation about his relationship with Josie was gaining momentum.