Who Is Michael Brantley's Wife, Melissa Brantley?
Michael Brantley is one of the most talented stars in Major League Baseball today, and he certainly proved why when the Houston Astros took on the Atlanta Braves in Game One of the World Series on October 26. Brantley and his teammates may not have won the game, but the left fielder has most certainly captured the nation's hearts.
The star is no doubt one of the darlings of the game right now, with Texas residents even writing in to Houston Chronicle to sing his praises. "He of the .311 season and postseason batting averages, he of the quiet smile and most reliable bat," fan Carolyn Truesdell wrote while describing him in a message to the outlet. "Hurrah for all the serious folks who go to work every day and complete their tasks at the highest levels without hoopla or fanfare. Thank you, Michael, for coming back to Houston. We are proud of you."
But it's not just his efforts on the field that have fans captivated, as the baseball player's adorable family has also hit the headlines. The star's young daughter, Mariah Brantley, had fans saying a collective "Aww" during the Astros World Series party in October when she rocked a sparkly jacket with the words "Daddy 23" written on it and told reporters, "I love my dad." So cute!
But what about Mariah's mom, Michael Brantley's wife, Melissa Brantley? Let's take a deep dive into the life of the strong woman behind the strong man.
What does Michael Brantley's wife do?
Michael Brantley's wife, Melissa Brantley, is dedicated to raising their family while Michael hits the field. According to Player Wives, the Ohio native is a stay at home mom, taking care of their children, Mariah, born in September 2013, Michael III, born in February 2015, and Maxwell, born in June 2017. Melissa is also a mom to a son named Giovanni.
There's no doubting that Michael brings home more than enough cash to keep his family comfortable too. Proving what we already know (there's a lot of money in baseball), LiveSportWorld.com claimed he has an estimated net worth of $100 million, with Sportrac reporting he got a guaranteed $32 million to move to the Houston Astros with a whopping average salary of $16 million. But don't expect all that wealth to be flaunted all over social media.
The family seem to keep their private moments just that, as neither seem to give too much away about their life behind closed doors. Michael's verified Instagram, where he goes by the username @drsmooth23, only features one snap which shows him in his Astros uniform out on the pitch. The photo was posted back in March and the star hasn't returned to his grid since. The athlete is also not big on keeping up with others either, as his following count sits at zero as of October 2021. As for Melissa? She doesn't appear to have a public Instagram of her own.
Michael Brantley's wife is his biggest supporter
Michael Brantley has made no secret of how much he relies on his wife, Melissa Brantley, for support. He revealed during a May 2019 interview with ESPN how much she's helped him in his career, particularly throughout his injuries while playing for the Cleveland Indians (one of the teams Donald Trump was once interested in buying) between 2009 and 2018.
"There were some dark days in there, rehabbing in the cold and things weren't always going well," Michael admitted, sharing he used to stay in Cleveland, Ohio, during the offseason and even got in training solo over the weekend "because [he] was so committed" to the game and getting fit. And that's where Melissa's unwavering support comes in.
"Having a wife that was supporting me, having a family that was supporting me to do this, it meant the world to me for the dark days where you didn't want to get up and do it," he said. "You look at the kids and you're doing it for them. That's the extra motivation."
The star also gushed about his closeness with his family to Cleveland.com in 2019, admitting that it's "daddy strength" that keeps him doing his best, home run after home run.
What a sweet family!