Pitchers and catchers reported to Port Charlotte today for the start of the 2018 baseball season. But this offseason, one of the most eligible Tampa Bay bachelors was taken off the market.
10News Anchor Allison Kropff sat down with Mr. and Mrs. Kiermaier's at one of their favorite spots to talk about what's on their TV, who works out harder and how she stole his heart.
You know him as the center fielder for the Rays and two-time Gold Glove winner. But some of you may just know Kevin Kiermaier by those baby blues. But the only eyes he's looking into, are hers. His wife, Marisa.
“First of all, congratulations. How's married life?”
“It's been really good. What I always tell people is we do everything that we did before, just with a ring on,” says Kevin.
“How was the wedding?”
“Oh my gosh, beautiful, dream come true, a fairy tale. I loved every second of it. I wouldn't have changed a thing,” says Marisa.
The Kiermaier's say they're kind of boring. But we got to tag along on one of their hobbies, taking in BP at 'The Next Level Instruction' in Tampa.
“We go to the same gym, we work out. Not really with each other too much. Se's not a big outdoors person. I love fishing and do other stuff,” says Kevin.
“I like the beach,” says Marisa.
“She can go walk around the mall for four hours and she wants to drag me with her. I'll just go sit on the closest bench nearby,” says Kevin.
“Always watching Purdue basketball with each other,” says Kevin.
“Ugh. He loves Purdue!” says Marisa.
“I just love college basketball. I just love watching it in general and she hates how much I watch it,” says Kevin.
“I don't hate it, I'm an athletic person, so I don't mind sports, but sports is on the TV all the time,” says Marisa.
“So what do you like to watch on the TV then?”
“I binge watch Netflix series. I love some Netflix. I'll start a show and watch it from start to finish in a week,” says Marisa.
“How'd you guys meet?”
“Oh wow. At a bar! So romantic,” says Kevin.
“At MacDinton's, on Howard. I was out with some girlfriends, he was out with some of his teammates. I walked by a few times and apparently, he had an eye out for me and called us over at one point, we got to talking,” says Marisa.
“So that's her side of the story. That's true, but it was 2015, it was our last home game of the year. It was a Saturday night, that Sunday was the last home game of the year, I had some teammates living on my couch in my condo. They said let's go out for a bit, have a couple beers. I said no, I'm a position player, I have to play every day, we have a 1:00 game tomorrow.”
But Kevin decided to go out for a little while. And that’s when he spotted Marisa.
“I said, alright. I'm not letting this girl pass by again. I just want to hear her voice, know her name. I just want to say hello.”
They talked for five weeks before they went on their first date to a Lightning game.
“It was the best first date ever, and it was a connection that I never felt before, and I knew I was getting into something that maybe I was or was not ready for. But it was history ever since that first date at the Lightning game. And here we are married today,” says Kevin. “I was planning on an hour and it was an hour and a half. In that hour and a half, I laid eyes on my future wife for the first time and I didn't know it at the time.”
Marisa was raised in Tampa Bay. She went to Indian Rocks Christian, played volleyball for SPC for two years and then graduated from Warner University in Lake Wales.
“Does it ever worry, you're from here, your family is here, that you might not be here if he were to have to leave the city?”
“At first that was a scary thought, cause this is all I really know, but, If I'm with him, then, I know it sounds kind of mushy, but it's true if I'm with him, wherever we are, we'll be fine,” says Marisa.
"How are you feeling about the upcoming season?"
“I'm ready to get it going and I couldn't be more excited for the season ahead. Hopefully a healthy one. I need to stay away from the broken bones, but [I'm] expecting a lot of big things out of the team this year,” says Kevin.
It'll be tough going from seeing each other every day to ten-day road trips, but they're not worried. The Kiermaier love is strong.
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