KING 5s Jake Whittenberg talks fatherhood with the new Mariner dads.
SEATTLE — For one of the most tight-knit teams in the MLB, the offseason was defined by a baby boom. Six different Seattle Mariners players recently welcomed a new child to their family.
One of those was pitcher Logan Gilbert, who along with his wife welcomed son Henry in early November. In addition to Gilbert, Emerson Hancock, Luke Raley, J.P. Crawford, Josh Naylor and Rob Refsnyder are all new dads.
“I didn’t know what I was expecting, but it’s way better than anything I could have imagined,” pitcher Logan Gilbert said.
KING 5s Jake Whittenberg spoke to Gilbert, Raley and Hancock about the ups and downs of fatherhood.
Gilbert said sleep has been challenging, but his wife has carried the heavy load.
Parenthood has a steep learning curve, with the dads describing struggles with everything from swaddling to stroller mechanics, but things have gotten easier over time.
“It gets better. It gets more fun, and the bond, the bond constantly is growing,” Raley said.
The influx of newborns even prompted the Mariners’ digital media team to drop a short video titled “Babyproofed,” poking fun at how the team’s clubhouse has adapted to its many new fathers.
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