There’s an interesting situation brewing in the MLB playoffs right now. With his team facing elimination, New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried has decided to skip the impending birth of his child to help the team in a do-or-die situation. But San Diego Padres pitcher Mason Miller, who is also on a team facing playoff elimination, has decided to join the paternity list and miss the game.
The situation has caused some debate on social media as to what’s more important: The birth of a child or the fate of the team.
For years fans have insisted that players play through any personal tragedy at a high level like Brett Favre famously did after his father passed away. But there are many others who don’t begrudge players at all for choosing family and personal matters over the game.
Now that there’s a clear contrast between two players, the debate is getting interesting.
Miller in the Right?
For the most part, it appears that Miller is getting the praise for choosing to be with his family for the birth of his child while Fried is getting a little bit more heat:
“With how scary and unpredictable child birth can be, I cannot imagine a man not being with his family on that day,” one user argued on X.
“Your wife is more important than your job,” wrote another. “Your child is more important than your job. No hate to Fried for the choice that he and his wife made. I know other guys who made the same choice, and their wives were good with it because of the other support that they had. But if Mason Miller and his wife wanted Mason to be there for the birth of their child, Mason 100% made the right choice. There is no debate.”
“Family. It’s always family. God, Family, Country, Baseball,” a third declared.
“Fully respect both sides, can’t fault either one of them. I personally would be hitting the paternity list.”
“Having this conversation is pretty low. Nobody should judge a man if he chooses his family over anything in life.”
© Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.
Both players are in rough situations though. Fried needs to help the Yankees win three straight games in order to save their season and advance to the ALCS. They take on the series-leading Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium tonight.
On the other side of the country, the Padres – without Miller – take on the 2-1 Brewers later.
