Photo: Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos
The San Diego Padres third baseman met his now-wife, Yainee Alonso, through her brother, former MLB player Yonder Alonso. The couple began dating in 2011 andtied the knotin a romantic ceremony in France in December 2014.
Their relationship has since taken them to Los Angeles, where he played for the Dodgers for one season, and now to San Diego. In 2019, Machadosigned a 10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres, which was the biggest free-agent contract in history at the time.
Throughout his career, Machado has had the steadfast support of his wife. While Alonso maintains a low profile and the couple keep the details of their relationship relatively private, she is always showing up for her husband, including during the 2022 National League Championship Series, where the Padres competed for a spot in theWorld Seriesbefore ultimately losing to the Philadelphia Phillies.
So who is the woman that has captured baseball star Manny Machado’s heart? Here’s everything to know about Yainee Alonso.
She was born in Cuba
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Alonso was born in Havana, Cuba, to parents Luis and Damaris Alonso. Her father played and coached forIndustriales of the Cuban National Series. In 1996, the family defected from Cuba and settled in Miami.
Her brother is a former MLB player
Manny Machado Instagram
Alonso’s father taught her brother,Yonder Alonso, how to play baseball at a young age. He went on to join the MLB, playing for various teams including the Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres.
In hisretirement announcement poston Instagram in November 2020, he gave a nod to his sister and brother-in-law. “I do want to take this opportunity and thank my FAMILY - Mom, Papi, Sis, Manny, Pete. You guys are what made me,” he wrote in the caption. “I love you guys! I’ll try my best to keep it short and sweet, but those who know me know I can get emotional with this stuff. I can’t thank all you guys enough.”
In April 2021, the former first basemanjoined the MLB Network’sroster of on-air personalities as an analyst.
She was pre-med in college
Alonso graduated in December 2012 from theUniversity of Miami in pre-med, where her brother also attended and played baseball. While living in Miami, she was a member of the Miami Marlins' Mermaids cheerleading squad.
In February 2023, Alonso visited her alma mater and posed for a picture with a University of Miami mascot. In the snap, which the mom of two shared onInstagram, Alonso smiled with her husband and two kids.
“Love coming back home to my ROOTS,” she wrote in the caption.
She metMachado through her brother
Machado met Alonso through his friendship with her brother. The two baseball players initially connected in 2009 whenMachado was just a teenager, and they became close friends.
After the three of them went on vacation in Spain in the winter of 2011,Machado asked Yonderif he had permission to date his sister.
“I told him, ‘Look, as long as you respect her and be there for her,’ " Yonder toldUSA Todayin 2013. “And whatever happens, just know if something happens between you guys we’re still friends. We were friends before, and we’ll be friends afterward.”
Their proposal didn’t go as planned
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On Feb. 6, 2013, Machado proposed to Alonso in South Beach, Florida. However, things didn’t go exactly as planned.
“I was a mess,” Machado toldUSA Todayof the proposal. “I was struggling to get the ring out. It was stuck in my pocket.”
“He’s on his knees and talking, saying sweet things, and I didn’t even hear him propose,” Alonso said. “Guys think that it’s like the movies, the woman says yes automatically. But you are so in shock. I finally said yes, but then I asked him to ask me again, because I didn’t hear him.”
The couple tied the knot the following year on Dec. 6, 2014, at the Château de Challain in France.
She’s supportive of her husband
Alonso frequently appears in photos on her husband’s Instagram.
On her birthday in 2020, Machadodedicated an Instagram postto his “forever sweetheart.”
“Happy birthday to the most beautiful amazing person in this planet, that I get to call my wife!!!!,” he wrote in the caption. “Wishing you nothing but continuous happiness and love forever I love you!!!!!!!! May all your wishes become reality!!!!! Forever my sweetheart.”
Alonso also accompanies her husband on the red carpet. Together, the pair have attended several MLB events, including the All-Star Red Carpet Show in L.A. in 2021 and 2022.
Despite Machado’s high-profile career, however, the pair aren’t big on nightlife. While they were still living in Miami, Machado toldUSA Todaythat he and Alonso preferred to stay close to home.
“People think, ‘Oh, you’re a big-leaguer, you live in Miami, you can probably go to any club you want,’ " Machado said. “The truth is that we are boring. We don’t really let people in. We’ve got a very close circle, and that’s it.”
The baseball star continued, “For us, it’s all about family.”
source: people.com
