The wives of Major League Baseball players require grace, grit to maneuver a unique lifestyle

Photos Courtesy of: Krystal Almora, Rachel Gomber and Jessica Faria.

All images found on their Instagram Pages.

Nearly 72 hours before his new team called Austin Gomber, he heard the rumors. The news that Austin Gomber, former pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, was a part of the trade that sent six-time MLB All-Star Nolan Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals, was all over Twitter and MLB TV. With no official word, Austin and his wife Rachel lived in limbo for days.

After already having a home in Missouri and Florida for spring training, were the Gombers going to have to move? As the days passed, the Gomber’s facetimed each other and had many conversations about how cold Colorado was and how they did not know what to expect as neither of them had ever even visited Colorado before.

Was Austin traded? That question remained unanswered for days. As the Gombers did not hear from either team until Monday, about an hour before the official news was broken to the media.

In this baseball lifestyle, a story like that of the Gomber’s is common. Anything can happen. And, when it does, it isn’t just the players that have to adapt to change but their families, as well.

Popular television shows like WAGS, an acronym used to refer wives and girlfriends of high-profile sportsmen, depict the wife of a professional athlete to be perfect and full of glitz and glamour. In reality, the baseball lifestyle has its perks, but there is also some unseen grit,

While each wife has had a diverse experience living the baseball lifestyle, they all have similarities as well. It’s hard to truly know what it’s all about unless you experience it.

The Grit

Along with this lifestyle comes uncertainty, at any moment life can change. A ballplayer can be released, traded, moved, or get injured.

“I think it’s hard because there’s so much uncertainty, but it’s not like your partner can answer that uncertainty for you because of contracts, trades, and DFA’s,” Michelle Kemp, 29, wife of Oakland Athletics infielder Tony, said. “Everything can happen just so quickly and without warning that (you) kind of have to be prepared for whatever gets thrown at you.”

With this unpredictability, baseball families are absent for important events, and are oftentimes away from their friends and family.

“Baseball comes first,” Krystal Almora, 28, wife of New York Mets outfielder Albert Almora Jr. said.

“Sometimes that can be a hard pill to swallow. I am pretty much a single stay at home mom, raising kids by myself the majority of the time. We’ve missed our wedding; our son’s birthday parties because of baseball. But at the end of the day the dedication to succeed has to be 110 percent.”

Since baseball is a business that is constantly changing, anything can happen.

For the Almoras their wedding day was even shifted because of baseball. The Almora’s, who were members of the Chicago Cubs organization at the time, were living in Des Moines, Iowa as Albert was a member of the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate the Iowa Cubs. While in Iowa, the Almora’s planned on taking advantage of the team’s off day on June 7, 2016, and get married at a nearby courthouse with some family and friends. On the day of the wedding, as the Almora’s were getting ready to embark on their new journey, baseball had other plans. Less than 24 hours before the Almora wedding, Albert got a call. This call was not any typical call but THE CALL. Albert was called up by the Chicago Cubs to make his major league debut.

“So here I am about to marry him (Albert), and we basically had to leave and put it on the back burner for a few weeks, Krystal Almora said.”

With Albert now playing in front of the ivy that outlines the outfield at Wrigley Field, the Almora’s had to change their wedding location.

Just as they planned in Iowa, the Almora’s planned to take advantage of Albert's off-day on July 21, 2016, and headed to a Chicago courthouse to get married. On her special day, Almora wore a long blush pink dress with pink flowers in her hair. Along to celebrate this joyous occasion were Albert’s teammates Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell, and their significant others.

After Krystal and Albert were announced as Mr. and Mrs. Almora for the first time, they went out to celebrate. While out at Ocean Cut, a Chicago restaurant, the Almora’s saw Joe Maddon, the manager for the 2016 Chicago Cubs ball club. After a night filled with love and celebration, the next day the reality of the baseball lifestyle hit again.

Less than 24 hours after getting married, Almora was told by Maddon that he and Krystal were headed back to Des Moines, Iowa. Almora was demoted and set to join the Iowa Cubs.

While Albert’s time in Iowa was short-lived, he returned to the Chicago Cubs in September. In his rookie season, Albert made a mark and helped lead the Chicago Cubs to the organization’s first world series title in 108 years.

Along with the constant battle for a sense of security in this unpredictable lifestyle, where having a roster spot is critical. Just like a player can be demoted at any moment, a player can also be traded.

Rachel Gomber, 25, the wife of Colorado Rockies pitcher Austin Gomber, knows the true uncertainty that comes with being traded. The 2021 MLB offseason was filled with trades, one trade, in particular,rocked the baseball world and Austin Gomber was a part of it.

On February 2, 2021, about 15 days before Gomber was set to report to Cardinals Spring Training he was officially traded to the Colorado Rockies. Before this trade was made official, the rumors surrounding this trade caused the Gomber’s to live in limbo.

“We actually found out on Twitter, and we knew about three days before the team actually called up,” Rachel Gomber said. “We found out and we heard rumors about the trade, and then his agent called and said, ‘Hey, like I think you're going to be a part of the trade.’ Then on Saturday night, we saw Ken Rosenthal reporting that my husband was going to be a part of the trade. We’re just sitting here, and we’re like, well, we haven't heard from the Rockies. We haven't heard from St. Louis like we have no idea. Then Monday night, we got a call. He got the call from the Cardinal’s GM (Michael Girsch) saying, ‘Hey you're being traded, you’re part of it.’ Austin was not shocked, we had basically known since Friday morning.”

The Gombers had never even visited Colorado. With Austin needing to report to Colorado Rockies spring training, Gomber had to move the family.

“So, unfortunately, because we were traded so late and already had plans to go to Florida for Cardinals spring training, Austin went by himself and stayed with a friend,” Gomber said. “I stayed back with (son) Beckham and canceled all of our plans in St. Louis and looked for housing in Denver. I feel like I spent weeks calling around places until we finally found one.”

The Gomber’s big move took place in the last two weeks of March. With Austin in Arizona for spring training, Gomber, herself, packed up Beckham, the couple's son, and Wiggles, their german shepherd, and drove 12 hours from Dallas, Texas to Denver, Colorado. As Gomber and Beckham got settled in their new home, Austin was reunited with them right before the 2021 season began. Gomber said, this move was a lot to do in a short period of time, but she got it done.

The seven-and-half-month-long baseball season is demanding on the ballplayers and their wives. While the ballplayers take care of their career on the field, the wives take care of the rest.

Baseball wives wear a lot of different hats. Many of them are mothers, entrepreneurs, humanitarians, and much more.

For instance, Almora is an entrepreneur, holistic health coach, blogger, and a single stay-at-home mom raising two sons during the baseball season. With two children, Almora said this lifestyle takes a lot of sacrifice, is crazy, unpredictable, but also exciting.

Photo Courtesy of: Krystal Almora and Hashtag Kids Instagram page

“I have always been a very driven and dedicated person and like to have things going on in my life for myself as well,” Almora said. “I currently own and run an organic clothing line for kids and work on my lifestyle blog in my free time as well. But being a mom always comes first. I love being a mom!! I am a big family person too, so I do get lonely a lot and ask my mom and dad to come visit. I try to visit Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where I’m from, about once a month during the baseball season.”

Just like Almora, Jessica Bassitt, 31, wife of Oakland Athletics pitcher Chris Bassitt, is a mother who wears multiple hats as well. Bassitt is the proud mother of one-year-old Landry and is a holistic health coach as well.

While Bassitt and Almora have had different MLB experiences, during the 2020 season, which was affected by the coronavirus, Bassitt made a tough decision.

“Last year during COVID, I chose to stay behind at home with my daughter,” Bassitt said.

While Bassitt and her one-year-old daughter Landry stayed in North Carolina, Facetime connected them to Chris. While the 2020 season was difficult for Bassitt and Landry, Bassitt pointed out that this separation is hard for someone else too.

“It is hard on the players, too,” Bassitt said. “My husband feels like he misses out on a lot while he is on the road. It is nice for him to be able to see her for a couple of hours a day before he heads to the field when he is home, but it is still very hard on us moms.”

While this lifestyle is full of sacrifice and hard work, there are still graces that come along with this lifestyle.

The Grace

Baseball wives are their husbands’ biggest fans.

Photo Courtesy of: Jessica Faria, image found on Faria's Instagram page

Unlike anyone else, they see the sacrifices and hard work their husbands have put into becoming a successful major league player. They have been through it all and even though this lifestyle is full of uncertainties, for the wives watching their husbands live out their dreams makes it all worthwhile.

Jessica Faria, 28, met her husband, Jacob, a pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks, as a high school senior at Gahr High School in Cerritos, California.

She loves watching Jacob live out his dream. In the decade since they met, the Tampa Bay Rays drafted Jacob, he made his MLB debut and his wife has been at his side. Every time Faria watches Jacob pitch, she has flashbacks to one particular game -- when Jacob was in high school and set the program’s strikeout record.

On June 7, 2017, Jacob made his debut as a starting pitcher for the Rays against the Chicago White Sox at Tropicana Field.

Before the game, she had a jersey custom made. It has his name “Faria,” -- her name! -- and the number “34” embroidered on the back.

It took her back to high school, again, when she had homemade T-shirts made for his games.

“I had one shirt in particular I remember,” Faria said. “A blue and white raglan shirt that was painted with ‘Gahr’ on the front, our high school, in the same font as the baseball jerseys and then ‘Faria’ in gold glitter and ‘12’ on the back with hearts.”

Even though Faria has seen Jacob pitch a great deal throughout his career, each time is as exciting as the first time.

“There is nothing like it,” Faria said.

The desire to want their husbands excel on the diamond has even influenced Faria and Gomber to pick up some superstitions.

While Faria’s husband pitched for the Rays, Faria remembers the travel secretary always putting her in the same seat every start, and she would always buy a Blue Moon beer.

For Gomber, whose husband has been in the league for seven years, a superstition grew just this season. .

“Austin didn't have the greatest April, he kind of struggled to figure everything out. Then in May and June, he probably had the best two months of his career so far,” she recalled.

“The first game Beckham and I showed up an inning late. I don't know, this is really weird… we missed the first inning. In that game, Austin pitched well,” she said. “The second time, I accidentally did it again because traffic is so bad, it’s hard to feed Beckham and get him there. So I showed up late again, and I missed the first inning again, and he had an amazing game.”

Now, Gomber and her son purposely show up 10 to 15 minutes late and miss the first inning.

The experiences the wives have at these games are one of a kind, as for the mothers, there is nothing like seeing the game through their children's eyes.

“That is my favorite thing, for sure,” Gomber said. “I was proud of Austin before Beckham, but it doesn't compare to like how proud I am. The goosebumps I get watching him (Austin) pitch, but watching Beckham watch him pitch that is how I get the goosebumps.”

Gomber remembers one particular game, where she felt a whole new level of goosebumps. On June 14, 2021, when the hard-hitting San Diego Padres came into town and took on the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. That night was perfect for baseball as it was sunny at Coors Field and fans were packed in the stands.

Tik Tok Courtesy of Rachel Gomber. Tik Tok can be found on her page.

That night, Austin wearing his purple Colorado Rockies jersey took the mound in his 14th start of the season. At Coors Field, which many consider to be the ultimate hitter-friendly field, Austin was able to quiet the bats of the San Diego Padres. That night, Austin threw eight shutout innings allowing three hits, struck out four and walked none.

On top of that, in this matchup, Austin accomplished what many pitchers throughout the National League have failed to do, silence the bats of both Fernando Tatis Jr and Manny Machado. Austin won the battle each time Machado and Tatis came up to the plate, as both hitters went 0 for 3 against Austin in this contest. While both made contact and hit the ball, the Rockies were in the right position to make the play each time.

Unlike the other 13 starts Austin had this season, this game against the San Diego Padres was special. While that outing was one of Austin’s best of the season, Gomber cherishes that night because of what it meant to her family.

“Beckham made it through his first full game in the stands, a whole nine innings,” Gomber said. “Watched Austin the entire time, which does not usually happen, usually we get a couple of innings, then Austin is out. Austin threw eight shutout innings, and afterwards, I texted Austin, ‘Can you come out and see Beckham,’ so Beckham got to go on the field and see Austin afterwards, and that was the icing on the cake. It was Austin’s best game he had thrown, and Beckham got to see him after. Beckham’s smile, you could just see it like he was so excited that he got to see Da Da afterwards.”

Once reunited on the field, Gomber caught a touching moment on camera. After the game, Austin’s teammates awarded him the MVP chain, an oversized purple beaded necklace with the Colorado Rockies logo on it, this chain is given to the Rockie at the end of each game that the team considers to be the MVP. With this necklace around his neck, Austin picked up Beckham, took off the necklace, placed it around his son’s neck and kissed him on the cheek.

Your Family Away From Home

This lifestyle brings baseball wives together in a way that is so strong that many of them create lifelong bonds with each other.

“I have girlfriends that I have known longer than 20 years growing up, and some of these baseball women I have known for less than two years and I am closer to them,” Tayler Plawecki, 29 year old, wife of Boston Red Sox catcher Kevin, said.

“We create a very unique bond. We are vulnerable, in new cities, new teams, new homes, without any family or friends that we know. We create family wherever we go, and it has led me to the most cherished friendships I will keep with me forever.”

To navigate this baseball lifestyle, the wives rely on each other. With their husbands on road trips, and spending most of their time at the field, the wives become each other's support system.

“You move to the cities, and you have nobody else,” Gomber said. “I mean, I’m pregnant with a two-year-old, and I have no family here. We got traded, so I had no friends. I often get asked, ‘What are you going to do if you go into labor early?’ I am going to call one of the girls on the team. They are hopefully even if it is 2 a.m. they will come over, and they will.”

To truly understand the life these women live, one has to be in it.

“Sharing this life with other wives and families is what gets you through it all,” Almora said. “Knowing you are not alone and being able to go to a veteran who can help you navigate your way through the challenges is huge.”

When Faria’s husband Jacob was called up to join the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017, one veteran MLB wife gave Faria some advice she still remembers four years later.

“Anna Boxberger (wife of Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brad) really took me under her wing when Jacob first got called up,” Faria said. “She has given me a lot of great advice, but I think the main thing I learned from her was to be thankful for each and every single day and live in the moment. At times I feel like you can take some things for granted or get ahead of yourself, but in this life, you never know when it’s going to end, so just stay in the moment and take it all in.”

Kemp said the need to be independent is a challenge to balance.

“I always struggled with being very independent. I always loved my industry. as well that I had my career started out in and struggled with wanting to give that up to be with Tony,” she said. “I had this preconceived idea that if I didn’t have my own career, exactly how I wanted it, or in exactly the industry I wanted it, I wouldn’t be successful.”

Baseball forced her to give up certain things.

“But I think what I’ve learned in watching all the other wives, and they have so many things going for them -- they’re raising families, they often have online businesses, are doing their own charities, all of these other things. So, I think what I’ve discovered is you can still fully support your husband, you can still be present, but you can still have your own thing,” she said.

Photo Courtesy of: Rachel Gomber.

With Gomber, who is originally from Dallas, Texas, about to give birth to her second child, her fellow Rockies’ wives helped her celebrate at Coors Field. As the Rockies wives threw Gomber and Maria Alejandra Gonzales, wife of Rockies pitcher Alex Gonzalez, a joint baby shower in a suite.

Just as the wives support each other, all 30 MLB teams offer support, as well.

Almora said the Cubs host a monthly social -- from a formal tea to a Zumba class -- childcare included.

Shortly after the Rockies traded for Austin Gomber, Jim Kellog, the team’s vice president of community and retail operations, put Rachel in contact with a realtor and helped her navigate the home stadium.

“I have to know where the family room is, a certain parking lot is, and I walk in a certain gate. There are no big signs like this is where the wives park,” Gomber said. “So the day before opening day, Jim contacted me and he was like, ‘Hey, meet me here and I’ll give you a tour to show you where the family room is and where you park.’ He was very helpful.”

The Rockies and teams such as the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs, offer child care to the families on game days. Gomber said the Rockies staff three childcare specialists and have toys on top of toys.

The Colorado Rockies organization is ready to help its players' families each step of the way. Kellog noted that the organization hosts meetings for the wives and players where they can talk about the available resources. Gomber said if a players’ family needs anything all they have to do is ask, and the organization would be willing to help.

Teams host other events from inviting wives to suites for games to special photo opportunities on Father’s Day and more.

“What we get to do is so amazing, and what Austin gets to do is so cool,” Gomber said. “How many people get to say they live their dreams like this?”

But, it isn’t all positive.

“I would say maybe 10 percent is glitz and glamour,” Almora said. “The rest is real life and struggle.”

The reality of this business can affect a player and his family at any moment. Mothers wear multiple hats, as they are, in essence, single mothers for seven months out of the year. As their husbands struggle to play baseball every day and perform at a high level, the wives have to be strong and independent. With your location dependent on which team you are playing for, many of these families are in cities where they do not know anyone and miss important events. Lives become inconvenienced, and plans change.

Almora sums it up: No matter what, she said, “Baseball comes first.”