Kelby Tomlinson isn’t just battling for a roster position this spring.
He’s also battling the heavy trauma of losing two close family members in the span of three days.
According to Kerry Crowley of the San Jose Mercury News, Tomlinson lost both his paternal grandfather, Harold Tomlinson, and brother-in-law T.J. Prater, his wife’s brother, in February.
You wouldn’t know it from watching him, but Kelby Tomlinson is playing with a heavy heart.
On Friday morning, he shared just how tough the past month has been. https://t.co/gjIvcPu2ca
— Kerry Crowley (@KO_Crowley) March 9, 2018
A freak accident killed 35-year-old Prater, who Tomlinson described as one of his closest friends on February 6. The father of three was working on a truck when it slipped out of park and rolled over his neck. Just a few days later, Harold Tomlinson, who had been battling dementia for the last few years, passed away due to kidney failure.
Tomlinson is competing for a role behind Brandon Crawford this spring. The 27-year-old is 5 for 21 this spring with one RBI and one stolen base.