TJ House is the third MLB player to openly announce his engagement to his boyfriend Ryan Neitzel
TJ House, a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays from 2014 to 2017, posted a profound and emotional public coming-out message on his Facebook page on Thursday while also announcing his engagement to his boyfriend.
Who Is Ryan Neitzel Boyfriend Of TJ House As Ex-MLB Pitcher Reveals He Is Gay
This is awesome that TJ House came out. Hopefully soon (like, I dunno, 2023), a current MLB player will feel welcomed and comfortable enough to come out. And I hope that MLB teams and team leaders are doing enough to make sure their clubhouse environment would welcome it. https://t.co/J7zllpv14c
— Benjamin Hochman (@hochman) December 10, 2022
House took advantage of the chance to announce his engagement to fiancée Ryan Neitzel after the Respect for Marriage Act’s approval. In his publicly accessible Facebook post, House stated, “[He] challenges me daily to become a better person. To live a genuine life. I am fortunate to have one that I never deserved.”
The entire post from House:
Following Billy Bean and Glenn Burke, House, 33, is the first former MLB player to openly come out in 23 years. Bean, senior vice-president of DEI for MLB, said to Outsports, “This is a terrific day for the league and baseball.”
There has been a flood of support for House on social media and in the media since Outsports published the initial story on Saturday. NBC, Sports Illustrated, TMZ, People magazine, the Advocate, and other publications have all covered the situation.
House wrote in his essay that he’s struggled his entire life with being comfortable in his own skin, reflecting on his own coming-out process. The left-hander thought back on his struggles with recognising his actual self while he built an MLB career.
Baseball allowed House to avoid thinking about himself.
House enjoyed his time playing the game, but he eventually came to the conclusion that he needed to pursue emotional fulfilment elsewhere. In one of his most memorable passages, House claims that playing baseball allowed him to escape self-reflection.
For several years, House has shared pictures of himself and his boyfriend on Instagram. In a recent post honouring “eight revolutions around the sun,” House is pictured with Neitzel wearing a Blue Jays outfit. House describes his experience by claiming that he overheard personal talks that discouraged him from coming out.
Career summary of House
House pitched 119 innings during the course of his MLB career, compiling a 5-7 record (5-3 in 2014), 22 starts, and an ERA of 4.44. He played at Picayune Memorial High School in Mississippi prior to beginning his professional career. Cleveland selected him in the 16th round of the 2008 MLB Draft after he graduated from high school. Between 2018 and 2020, he participated in the Chicago White Sox minor league system. He played baseball in the minor leagues.
The best part of House’s journey through life has only just begun, despite the fact that he spent portions of four seasons in the major leagues living out his baseball goal. We hope these two guys have a long and happy marriage.