Longoria hoping to balance Japan tour, baby's arrival
Rays star joins All-Star Series with his fiancee expecting their second child
LOS ANGELES -- Talk about an understanding significant other. Though Evan Longoria's fiancée, Jaime Edmondson, is due to give birth to the couple's second child on Nov. 18 -- two days before the All-Star Series in Japan is set to conclude -- the Rays third baseman is still taking part in the tour.
"It's one of those opportunities that I couldn't turn down," Longoria said. "We're hoping that she keeps it in until I get back."
Edmondson gave birth to the couple's first child in February 2013, toward the beginning of Spring Training -- a relatively easy time for Longoria to steal away. This time, he is hoping to make it back before the birth again -- but is bracing for the very real possibility that he will not.
"It will be a long time over FaceTime or whatever means of communication we choose," Longoria said. "It could be a little bit of a difficult time, but we'll get through it."
Longoria, 29, played in all 162 games for the Rays this season, batting .253 with 22 home runs. He and Edmondson, his longtime girlfriend, were engaged last December and plan to wed in 2016.
The two-week All-Star tour was attractive for single players, though some with families are also attending. Many are bringing along wives, girlfriends or even parents for the two-week series.