MLB’s Paternity Leave Debate Is Turning Ugly, And It Needs To Stop

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The San Diego Padres placed Mason Miller on the postseason paternity list shortly before Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers after his wife, Jordan, went into labor with the couple’s first child.

It was about as inconvenient a time as baseball could possibly provide. San Diego trailed the series 2-0 and was facing elimination. Miller, an All-Star pitcher who tied for the NL lead with 38 saves while posting a 1.67 ERA this season, was arguably the most important pitcher in the Padres’ bullpen.

Though Miller is expected to be activated for Wednesday’s Game 4, the decision to be with his family at the time somehow became controversial on social media and raised the question: should a player leave his team during the postseason for the birth of a child?

The conversation became even more complicated when New York Yankees ace Max Fried, whose girlfriend, Reni, is also expecting their first child, said he still intended to make his scheduled postseason start if she went into labor.

“I’ve got a really supportive family that understands [baseball] is my job,” Fried said.

MLB’s rules allow players to be placed on the paternity list when the birth of a child is imminent or has recently occurred. During the postseason, a player must remain on the list for at least one day and can be away for a maximum of three days, with his team allowed to temporarily replace him on the active roster.

Is There a Right or Wrong Decision Here?

Every family has different circumstances, and what works for one couple might not work for another. That being said, neither player should have to defend a deeply personal decision simply because their teams are competing in October.

If anyone in the Padres’ clubhouse understands Miller’s decision, it’s Ty France. He spent time on the paternity list himself less than a month ago after his wife, Maggie, gave birth to twin girls. France’s absence came while San Diego was fighting for postseason positioning and while he was chasing an individual milestone during one of the best seasons of his career. Does he regret it? Absolutely not.

“I’m a really big family man,” France said, according to MLB.com. “Obviously, we’re in a tight race. But baseball’s not forever. Family is.”

There is also a recent reminder of why nobody outside a player’s family should pretend to know what the “right” decision is. Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia stepped away from the team ahead of the 2025 World Series because of what was initially described as a deeply personal family matter. Vesia and his wife, Kayla, had been expecting their first child.

According to the Los Angeles Times, their daughter, Sterling Sol, died on Oct. 26.

Vesia ultimately missed the entire World Series to be with his family. Months later, when he publicly discussed the heartbreaking experience, he made it clear that as difficult as it was to leave his teammates during the biggest series of the season, there was never really a decision to make. His family needed him.

Obviously, Vesia’s circumstances were far different from Miller’s and Fried’s, and they shouldn’t be directly compared. However, his experience underscores why there can never be a one-size-fits-all answer when baseball and family collide.

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