Days After Daughter's Open-Heart Surgery, Burger Hits 1st HR with Rangers

Instead of participating in spring training activities in Surprise, Rangers infielder Jake Burger chose to return to Nashville to be with his family. His four-month-old daughter, Penelope, had a successful open-heart surgery on February 24th at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Penelope, born with Down Syndrome, required the surgery after initially avoiding it at birth. Thankfully, the procedure went smoothly, and Burger expressed immense gratitude for the medical staff, praising their dedication and expertise. "I don't envy those doctors or nurses for what they deal with on a daily basis. We go out here and play a children's game and have fun with it. Seeing what they do every single minute of every single day, it's pretty incredible," Burger shared.
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Burger's wife, Ashlyn, took to social media to express their gratitude for the surgeon, Dr. Carlos Mery, and the entire medical team at Vanderbilt. She also thanked everyone for their prayers and support, acknowledging how they felt heard and answered. With Penelope's successful surgery behind them, Burger returned to the field and marked his comeback by hitting his first home run with the Rangers. This moment not only highlighted his resilience and dedication but also served as a testament to the strength and support of his family during challenging times.