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Some of the biggest stars in MLB are consistently talked about in the news cycle. From Shohei Ohtani to Aaron Judge to Bryce Harper, certain faces have dominated the baseball landscape for years. However, these stars have women in their lives that make it possible for them to excel at such a high level. Not all of these women get the notoriety that they deserve. So, we want to introduce you to some of the amazing women connected to MLB.
Freddie and Chelsea Freeman
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After spending 12+ years of their lives together in Georgia while Freddie played for the Atlanta Braves, Freddie and Chelsea Freeman moved to California. The Freemans married in 2014 and have three children together. Picking up and starting over is never easy, but the Freemans have proven to be a tight-knit group. Now back in his native California, Freddie appears to be at ease with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chelsea and the three boys are often seen at Dodger Stadium and cheering on the team. Chelsea is a businesswoman, as well. Chelsea is the founder and owner of the Chelsea Freeman Collection, an online boutique that specializes in game-day merchandise.
Carlos Correa and Daniella Rodriguez
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Who can forget the precious moments following the 2017 World Series when title-winning shortstop Carlos Correa proposed to longtime girlfriend Daniella Rodriguez? Of course, Rodriguez said yes. The couple have been together ever since. They were wed two years later in front of friends, family, and teammates on the water in the Dominican Republic.
The Laredo, Texas-born Rodriguez was once a beauty pageant queen with an impressive resume. She was named Miss Texas USA in 2016 — just a few years after winning Miss Texas Teen USA. Rodriguez earned a degree from Texas A&M and currently owns and operates her lipstick line. The couple has two children together.
Dansby and Mallory Swanson
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A World Series champion and a World Cup champion. Talk about a power couple. Dansby Swanson is the starting shortstop for the Chicago Cubs. He met his now-wife in 2017 after the two were set up together by Swanson’s former Braves teammate, Jace Peterson. They’ve been together ever since, and Swanson popped the question a month after his Atlanta Braves took home the World Series title over the Houston Astros in 2021.
Mallory is one of the best footballers in the world. The 26-year-old has been playing professionally since she was a teenager. At 17, she became the youngest national team member since Heather O’Reilly debuted back in 2002. The Colorado native was the second-youngest player on the 2019 US Women’s Team which won the Gold medal in France. Her club career began with the Washington Spirit back in 2017, but she now stars for the Chicago Red Stars.
Justin and Kourtney Turner
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Justin Turner proposed to longtime girlfriend Kourtney Pogue in 2017 near a scenic spot at the Grand Canyon. Good thing the two-time All-Star always had a sure set of hands at third base, as dropping the ring would have been a disastrous outcome. The Turners have been together ever since.
Kourtney is an Indiana native who moved to LA in 2005. After struggling early, Kourtney eventually found her footing in her new city. She was eventually accepted to her dream school, UCLA. It was there that she earned a degree in psychology. After joining the Dodgers in 2014, the Turners did an extraordinary job helping around the LA community and were often first-in-line when it came to charity work or making appearances. Now based in Toronto with Justin playing for the Blue Jays, the couple are expecting their first child.
Justin Verlander and Kate Upton
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Keeping up the theme of power couples, we’ve got World Series winner Justin Verlander — one of the best pitchers of his generation — paired with Kate Upton, an absolute megastar in the modeling industry. There’s something magnetic about two people who are both so dominant in their respective professions. While Upton has taken a bit of a break from modeling/acting, and Verlander has dealt with injuries recently, there’s no doubt that both are all-time greats in their fields. The married couple have one child together, a daughter named Genevieve (born in 2018).
Zack Grienke and Emily Kuchar
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A six-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner, Grienke met his wife, Emily Kuchar, while the pair were attending Apopka High School in Florida. Kuchar was there every step of the way for Grienke, through his stops in Kansas City, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Arizona, and Houston. Kuchar is a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader who was also named Miss Dayton Beach USA back in 2008. The couple have three sons together. Greinke played for the Kansas City Royals in 2023 and is currently a free agent.
George Springer and Charlise Castro
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Blue Jays outfielder George Springer has been married to former college softball star Charlise Castro since 2018. While Springer is certainly a tremendous player, Castro is an impressive athlete in her own right. During her high school career, Castro was a star across three sports (softball, volleyball, and basketball). Castro attended the University of Albany, where she was the team’s star player.
In 2012, Castro was named the American East Player of the Year after winning the conference’s Triple Crown. It certainly begs the question: Which member of the couple is the better hitter? How many Triple Crowns does he have? Oh, zero? Exactly…
Gerrit and Amy Cole
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In 2021, Gerrit Cole signed the richest contract for a pitcher in baseball history — inking a deal with the New York Yankees worth $324 million over nine years. While that is a significant accomplishment within itself, the real prize in Cole’s life is his wife, Amy. The couple met in college while both were attending UCLA. Gerrit was a member of the school’s baseball team, while Amy starred for the softball squad. Amy is the sister of Cole’s UCLA teammate, Brandon Crawford. The Coles have two sons together.
Cole Tucker and Vanessa Hudgens
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Cole Tucker is in his sixth season year overall and his first as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. However, to this point, his biggest catch has come away from the diamond. The utility player has been in a relationship with Vanessa Hudgens since November 2020. According to the actress, the two lovebirds met during a Zoom meditation group. Hudgens, who is best known for her work in High School Musical and Spring Breakers, has supported Tucker as he’s battled for a consistent role in MLB. The pair wed in December 2023 in Tulum and are currently expecting their first child.
Aaron Judge and Samantha Bracksieck
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Unlike so many Yankee greats that came before him, Aaron Judge prefers to keep his personal life private. He reportedly began dating his wife, Samantha Bracksieck, back in 2014 when the pair both attended Fresno State University. At one point, the couple had broken up sometime around 2016. During this period, Bracksieck reportedly got engaged to another man. However, Judge and Bracksieck eventually reconciled, and the towering Yankees right fielder proposed to his girlfriend in 2021.
However — for all non-Yankees fanatics — the majority of us first learned about Judge’s relationship in a more upsetting way. In 2020, Bracksieck was arrested for DUI following a traffic stop in Arizona (the Yankees were there for Spring Training). In police recordings, Bracksieck can be heard questioning the officers, “Do you know who my boyfriend is?”. Whether Bracksieck expected to get out of trouble by dropping that tidbit is unknown, but it certainly made headlines for quite some time…
Joe Smith and Allie LaForce
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Journeyman reliever Joe Smith took popular Turner sports reporter Allie LaForce off the market in 2015. The couple were wed in their home state of Ohio. LaForce was born in Vermillion and attended Ohio University (where she was a member of the school’s basketball team). As a teen, LaForce enjoyed a nice run as a beauty queen. LaForce was named Miss Ohio Teen USA in 2005 and was crowned Miss Teen USA later that year.
She began her reporting career in 2010, working as a sideline reporter for Sportstime Ohio covering Mid-American Conference football and basketball. LaForce began gaining notoriety once she landed a job at NBA TV. She parlayed her success into a job at Turner Sports. She is now a sideline reporter for NBA on TNT, though she makes the occasional appearance on CBS for NCAA Tournament coverage. Smith played for 15 years in MLB and announced his retirement in January 2024.
Dallas Keuchel and Kelly Nash
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MLB and NHL Network host Kelly Nash announced her engagement to veteran pitcher Dallas Keuchel in March of 2021. Nash — who has over 100k followers on Instagram and 80k+ on X — has been working for MLB Network since 2015. However, her reporting career dates further back than that. Nash was a production assistant with the ACC Network when she was still in college at Clemson University.
She eventually earned a job at Fox Sports Florida where she helped cover all of the local teams (Orlando Magic, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Rays). While working there, Nash caught the eye of the MLB Network and was hired to be a host of a show called “The Rundown”. When the NHL Network moved its daily operation into the same office as the MLB Network, Nash began hosting “On The Fly” — a nightly recap of NHL games. After spending the 2023 season with the Minnesota Twins, Keuchel is currently a free agent.
Trea Turner and Kristin Haribedian
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Now with the Philadelphia Phillies, Trea Turner met his future wife, Kristin Haribedian, while the pair were attending NC State. Turner was the team’s star shortstop during a memorable run for the Wolfpack which saw the program collect 125 wins in a three-year span and a College World Series appearance. Haribedian was on the school’s gymnastics team. The New Jersey native was especially adept at the uneven bars event during her time competing.
The pair married in 2018 while Turner was a member of the Washington Nationals. They welcomed their first child — a son — three years later in 2021. The couple’s son was given a fitting middle name, Beckham Dash Turner, as a sort of ode to his father’s blazing speed on the base paths. Just four months after Beckham’s birth, the family was relocated to Los Angeles following a trade to the Dodgers. Now, Turner is locked in with Philadelphia through 2033.
Shohei Ohtani and Mamiko Tanaka
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Shohei Ohtani has taken the baseball world by storm ever since his debut in 2018. The ultimate dual threat, Ohtani won two American League MVPs with the Los Angeles Angels. Ahead of the ’24 season, Ohtani signed a $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. A few months later, Ohtani surprised many by announcing that he married Mamiko Tanaka. Tanaka is a professional basketball player in Japan. A 5-foot-11 forward, Tanaka played four seasons in the Women’s Japan Basketball League with the Fujitsu Red Wave — most recently playing in the 2023 season.
Clayton and Ellen Kershaw
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Dodger fans are plenty familiar with the family of their future Hall of Fame pitcher. Ellen Melson met future Dodger Clayton Kershaw in high school where their love first began. The high school sweethearts separated momentarily when Ellen attended Texas A&M after high school while Clayton began his professional career (Kershaw was originally committed to Texas A&M before being drafted). However, true love finds a way and the couple eventually got married in 2010.
Today, Ellen and Clayton have four children together — Cali, Charley, Cooper, and Chance. The group can regularly be spotted cheering on their father at Chavez Ravine. The 36-year-old ace still has some gas left in the tank given his recent level of play. However, the end of his career is rapidly approaching. At the very least, Kershaw will be able to enjoy retirement alongside his delightful family.
Paul Skenes and Olivia Dunne
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Paul Skenes and Olivia ‘Livvy’ Dunne are the new power couple of MLB. Skenes is the most hyped pitching prospect in over a decade — the No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft — and made his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in May 2024. Of course, Livvy has been in the public eye for years. She changed the world of college athletics as we knew it and paved the way for the NIL generation through her numerous endorsement deals. Also a talented gymnast, Livvy was a member of the 2024 NCAA Champion LSU Tigers.
Manny Machado and Yainee Alonso
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Yainee Alonso has been married to Padres third baseman Manny Machado since 2014. The couple had been engaged for a year but had known each other since they were teens. Machado and Alonso met when the former was working out with her brother, MLB player Yonder Alonso. Yonder was a star for the Miami Hurricanes and took a young Machado under his wing to prepare him for the MLB.
At that time, Manny was introduced to Yainee and they began dating. Manny actually asked Yonder for his permission to date his sister. Of course, Yonder obliged and the rest is history. The couple owns two homes in Coral Gables, Florida. This is where they reside when Manny isn’t crushing baseballs in Petco Park during the season.
Bryce Harper and Kayla Varner
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Years before Kayla and Bryce Harper tied the knot, the two formed young love as high school sweethearts. When the two first became an item, Kayla went by Kayla Varner. An accomplished athlete in her own right, Kayla was a star soccer player in high school — where she won a state championship — and later played collegiately at Brigham Young University and Ohio State University. Kayla and Bryce officially became the Harpers in 2016. They have two kids together and announced in March 2024 that they are expecting a third child. Bryce is a two-time MVP and signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019.
Mookie Betts and Brianna Hammonds
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Mookie Betts and his wife have a love story that seems straight out of a movie. The pair met all the way back in middle school. The gifted right fielder finally mustered up the courage to ask out Brianna when they were just 13 years old. They’ve been together — through thick and thin — ever since.
The couple welcomed their first child together in 2018 but weren’t yet engaged. Mookie popped the question to his longtime girlfriend in January of 2021, less than 12 months after the former Red Sox star was shipped to Los Angeles to play for the Dodgers. The couple acclimated to their new surroundings quite nicely. They were wed in Palos Verdes, California in 2021.
Cody Bellinger and Chase Carter
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Known as ‘lilbabycheezus’ on Instagram, Chase Carter has built quite a following. It is no surprise that Carter has amassed over 350,000 followers. Born in The Bahamas, Carter has enjoyed a modeling career that countless people yearn for. Only 27, Carter has appeared on the cover of Maxim, graced the pages of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and modeled for Victoria’s Secret. The star model got engaged to former National League MVP Cody Bellinger — a member of the Chicago Cubs — in June 2023. The pair have been together since 2020, and have two children together.
Mike and Jessica Trout
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The $430 million-dollar man met his future wife in high school. They grew up in the same New Jersey town and even attended prom together at Millville Senior High School. Though Trout plays out in California, Jessica is an elementary school teacher in their native New Jersey.
When proposing to his now-wife in 2016, Trout enlisted the help of an airplane. It asked for her hand in marriage high up in the sky. While the couple enjoyed being parents to their two dogs, both Mike and Jessica decided it was time to add a new, non-canine member to the family. In 2020, the couple welcomed their first child, Beckham Aaron, to the world.
Evan Longoria and Jaime Faith Edmondson
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The hero of the 2008 ALCS has gone on to enjoy an impressive career as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks. During his prime, Longoria was a terrific two-way player who earned three All-Star nods, three Gold Glove awards, and the 2009 Silver Slugger. Additionally, Longoria established himself as one of the most clutch hitters in all of baseball. In ’23, Longoria was a member of the National League champion Diamondbacks.
Longoria has been dating Jamie Faith Edmondson since 2012. Edmondson rose to fame after earning the honors of Playboy Playmate of the Month in January 2010. Additionally, Edmondson appeared on two seasons (14th and 18th) of the hit television series The Amazing Race. The couple got hitched in December of 2015, and are currently raising three children together.
Miles and Lauren Mikolas
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St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas has had an interesting baseball career, to say the least. Mikolas is a former draft pick of the Padres, making his debut for the club in 2012. After early struggles, Mikolas opted to sign a contract with Yomiuri Giants of the NPB, spending three in Japan. Mikolas returned to the States in 2017 with a revamped arsenal and improved focus. He enjoyed the best season of his career in 2018, finishing sixth in the NL Cy Young race and earning an All-Star nod.
Mikolas’ wife is Lauren, an elementary school teacher and former Ultimate Fighting Championship ring girl (left). Lauren rose to celebrity status in Japan when she blew a kiss to her husband during his introductory press conference.
Kiké Hernandez and Mariana Vicente
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Known as one of the most energetic, fun players in baseball, Kike Hernandez found his soulmate in Mariana Vicente. Vicente is a former beauty pageant titleholder and has also enjoyed a nice acting and modeling career. Hailing from Puerto Rico, Vicente was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico in 2010 — and finished in the top-10 at the 2010 Miss Universe pageant. In 2015, Vicente appeared in the film Hot Tub Time Machine 2. On the diamond, Hernandez won the 2020 World Series as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two stars married in 2018 and have one child together.
Anthony Rizzo and Emily Vakos
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Anthony Rizzo’s wife, Emily Vakos, turned out to be a good luck charm for the Chicago Cubs. After the couple met for the first time during 2016 Spring Training in Arizona, the Cubs went on to break a 108-year World Series drought the following season. Though Vakos initially denied his advances (she gave him a fake phone number at first), she eventually warmed up to the steady first baseman. Rizzo knew he found a keeper and married the former nutrition intern in June of 2017. Rizzo and Vakos spent several years together in Chicago before moving together to New York when Rizzo joined the New York Yankees.
Andrew McCutchen and Maria Hanslovan
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Cutch’s wife, Maria Hanslovan, is a Pennsylvania native. Of course, McCutchen is an all-time great with the Pittsburgh Pirates — and is likely to end his career with the Buccos. The couple tied the knot in December 2013, and have three children — two sons and one daughter — with a fourth on the way.
Their eldest, Steel Stefan, was named after the “Steel” city of Pittsburgh where the couple first met. McCutchen was an MVP center fielder for the Pirates while Hanslovan was a member of the Pirates’ Cannonball Crew. McCutchen proposed to his then-longtime girlfriend on a live episode of the Ellen Degeneres Show.
