‘I love being a dad’: KC Royals celebrate Father’s Day with loved ones at The K
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals players reflect on fatherhood as they balance MLB careers and parenting.
- The Royals are holding a special family day for players on Sunday.
- KC will invite families along on the upcoming road trip, similar to past years.
Noah Cameron rushed to grab his baseball glove. Then, he shuffled to grab a baseball and find his cap.
His dad was waiting in the backyard.
Long before he made his Kansas City Royals debut, Cameron was attempting to not hit the family cars near his driveway. It was his usual routine with his father, Tracy, as they spent countless hours in the yard.
“He was always kind of protecting the cars, which is always funny,” Cameron said. “A ball would always seem to fly by him and hit a car every once in a while.”
Cameron would find any reason to play catch. It didn’t matter if it was before dinner, after school or on a lazy Saturday.
His time with his dad mattered.
“I think him always being there for me and supporting me through everything is obviously just super special,” Cameron said.
Cameron will start Sunday against the Athletics at Kauffman Stadium. It will be his first start on Father’s Day and it carries a new meaning. Cameron will share the moment with both his dad and his son Auggie.
And his daughter on the way.
“She’s 20 weeks this Sunday and we will be halfway there,” Cameron said. “We’ll have a second one and we’re just excited to continue raising them. They just make us full of joy.”
A dream job
Several Royals understand the joys of fatherhood. It’s a special responsibility to raise a child and see the world through their eyes.
There are ups and downs, not unlike baseball. Still, the good days vastly outweigh the tough ones that arrive at a moment’s notice.
On the field, the Royals represent Kansas City and the fan base. At home, many are known by one name: Dad.
“Whenever I walk through that door at night, Liam is just smiling at me,” Royals utilityman Nick Loftin said of his son. “It doesn’t matter what I did. He just sees me as dad. I think that’s the biggest takeaway. Leave baseball here and go home and be a dad.”
Father’s Day is a special holiday around Major League Baseball. The Royals have many players with young children. Often, Royals outfielder Kyle Isbel will bring his son, Lane, into the clubhouse or on the field postgame.
Isbel cherishes those moments.
“That’s where baseball ties in,” Isbel said. “We spend more time with our teammates than we do our family, which is pretty mind-blowing to me. The time you get to spend with him or the time he gets to come into this clubhouse, just got to enjoy every second of it. It’s a blessing because they grow up so fast.”
The Royals will hold a family day on Sunday. Then, the club has invited families on the upcoming six-game road trip against the Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres.
It’s a tradition within the clubhouse. In 2023, the Royals hosted a dad’s trip that included a special dinner and batting practice.
Players are excited to travel with their families. It’s an opportunity to showcase their daily routines and create lasting memories.
“It’s another one of those holidays where there is baseball going on,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “It’s part of our routine, but especially when you are home and you get to have your families around, (seeing) everybody take the time with their families is something we can’t take for granted.”
‘Best thing I’ve ever done’
Royals outfielder Mark Canha received the ultimate Father’s Day gift on Saturday. He reached 10 years of MLB service time and got to share the moment with his family.
Canha, who signed with the Royals this offseason, made sacrifices to chase his MLB dreams and relied on his family’s support. Canha has played for six teams, including the Royals, Athletics and New York Mets.
He’s thankful for his family. And Father’s Day gives him the chance to show his appreciation for his loved ones.
“Everyone that knows me knows how much I love being a dad and how much I love my kids,” Canha said. “It’s going to be special. I think we have family day with them tomorrow, so I get to spend time with them out on the field after. I’m just really looking forward to it.
“Being a dad is the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. It trumps everything that I’ve ever accomplished. It’s very meaningful.”
Royals rookie sensation Jac Caglianone just arrived in the big leagues. However, he wouldn’t have made it without the support of his dad and his family.
Prior to his MLB debut, Caglianone had a wealth of loved ones make the trek to St. Louis as the Royals played the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. He raved about celebrating the moment with his dad, Jeff, a mere 11 months after getting drafted.
Caglianone, 22, shared an emotional hug with his dad after his debut game. It was a moment that he will always remember.
“It was great to see my dad and (everyone),” Caglianone said. “I know how much this moment means to him as well and my whole family. He’s the one that’s been doing it the longest with me. Super special.”
Royals reliever Taylor Clarke also couldn’t help but thank his dad. As a young kid, Clarke threw bullpens in the backyard. It wasn’t always smooth as he peppered his dad with a mix of different pitches.
His dad took it like a champ. Despite the nicks and pains, there were a lot of fun moments.
“He had numerous injuries from doing that,” Clarke recalled. “... I think that’s where I learned to be pretty good at throwing strikes because if I didn’t throw it in the strike (zone), he would get hurt and he would zip it back at me.”
Now, Clarke is experiencing the full-circle moment with his kids. He has 10-year-old twin boys, a young daughter and another newborn daughter. His kids are named Bryce, Brody, Bayley and Blake.
His dad continues to play catch with the kids. It’s a fun time as they play Wiffle Ball and other games when all together.
“They are at the age where they kind of know what’s going on and they are able to remember it for their whole life,” Clarke said.
Just like dad
The Royals also have a few players who followed in their dad’s footsteps.
Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr., who celebrated his birthday Saturday, is the son of former MLB pitcher Bobby Witt Sr.
Meanwhile, Royals reliever Hunter Harvey forges ahead behind his All-Star father. He is the son of Bryan Harvey, who played nine MLB seasons.
“I didn’t get to see him play,” Harvey said. “But it was cool to have a dad that played in the big leagues. We still got to go to a lot of baseball stuff and that was cool. And obviously, when he started coming around and coaching when I got older, it was pretty fun.”
Now, Harvey gets to pass those moments down to his son Creed.
“I hadn’t seen them in a month,” Harvey said. “They just got back out here and I can’t wait to get home every night just to hang out and play with them. It’s a great feeling to have a kid. It’s so awesome.”
The Royals conclude their three-game series against the Athletics on Sunday.
A lot of dads and children will be in attendance. It will be a meaningful afternoon for everyone to create new memories and express what fatherhood is truly about.
“One of my dreams for my entire life was to raise my kids in the clubhouse,” Cameron said. “Just hanging out and being able to come. Play catch with Salvy (Salvador Perez) and do all that stuff because you just can’t make that kind of stuff up. Super excited for that.”
