Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson received exciting news just before entering a game and celebrated in the dugout before leaving the facility.
Before the series opener Thursday in St. Louis, Stephenson got the call that his wife was expecting a baby girl, his first child.
Instead of going to the countryside, Stephenson headed to South Carolina, where his wife, Carlyn, was expected to be induced into labor.
However, the Reds dugout did not let him go without celebrating.
In a video posted to the team’s X account, Stephenson is seen dancing with his teammates upon hearing the news.
Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson received the news of the birth of his daughter before Thursday’s game.
The Cincinnati players smiled at their catcher, patted him on the helmet and high-fived him as he couldn’t contain his excitement. He then left the dugout and went to greet his daughter.
“Girl’s future dad, @Tyler_Steph22, received the ring before taking the field,” the Reds captioned. “Congratulations to the Stephenson family.”
Stephenson has been with the Reds since entering the MLB in July 2020.
She got married just before the 2022 MLB season and shared her pregnancy in March of this year.
“Baby girl Stephenson is coming later this summer,” he captioned a photo of him and Carlyn holding the ultrasound.
Stephenson was about to participate in the game, but instead flew to South Carolina to join his wife.
The catcher has been in Cincinnati since being drafted into Major League Baseball in 2020.
Stephenson, an Atlanta native, married his wife Carlyn just before the 2022 MLB season.
After Stephenson left, his team went on to win 11-2 over the St. Louis Cardinals.
After his departure, the Reds posted an 11-4 victory over the Cardinals.
The teams will take to the field again on Friday at 8:15 p.m. and on Saturday at 2:15 p.m.
About two years ago, also in St. Louis, a young Reds fan handed a card to the catcher after he fractured his thumb. The card read: “Go, Reds! Get well soon!”