During this time of year, we always enjoy catching our favorite basbeball games. We caught up with Cleveland Guardians’ Shortstop Brayan Rocchio who is known for his switch-hititing abilities and is known as The Professor. We caught up with him at the midpoint of this season to talk about his love for the game, how he stays in shape during the season, and the importance of eye health especially when it comes to him playing on the field!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with baseball and what’s your first memory of playing this game?

BRAYAN ROCCHIO: I’ve loved baseball as long as I can remember. My earliest memories were when I was just starting, playing at Cocodrilos Sports Park in Caracas Venezuela at the age of 3.

By the time I was playing in the Chucho Ramos minor league, I was having the best moments of my life. I remember my family and friends would always come out and support me, which reinforced my passion for the game.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to go pro and do this as a career?

BR: At first, I wanted to be a veterinarian. When I was training at Cocodrilos (Crocodile) Sports Park, some of my friends played a prank and told me there were real crocodiles living in the neighborhood. I’ve always loved crocodiles since then – it’s random, I know – but I’m drawn to them. I told my mother that I wanted to become a veterinarian, and for a while, I seriously considered it. But my family has a strong athletic background, and as I fell more and more in love with baseball, sports won out.

AM: What do you love about playing this game?

BR: The most satisfying part of the game is just trying to win for the guys around you, competing by your side every day. I don’t think about my personal stats or focus on myself. I like making a difference so my team can go as far as possible and win.

AM: We are always looking at adding various fitness routines into our workout. What are 3 workouts that you do to assist in optimizing yourself in the sport?

BR: My training is designed around optimizing force production, joint sequencing, and movement efficiency, that’s specific to the demands of baseball. With my coaches, we work on rotational power, deceleration capacity, and segmental timing to improve energy transfer from the ground up.

Three exercises that are always part of my training are barbell hip thrusts, rear-foot elevated split squats and rotational medicine ball work. They all support the movements I use in baseball and help me become a stronger, more explosive player.

AM: You are known as The Professor. How did you get that name and what does it mean?

BR: I was playing in the Dominican Republic when I was 16, and I was at shortstop when a ground ball hit the hole. I made a diving play and was able to throw the guy out at first.

When I got back to the dugout, my coach at the time told me I made the play like a professor. Then the name just stayed. People started calling me El Profesor after that.

AM: Why did eye health become so important to you especially when it comes to athletic performance especially when you are navigating your games?

BR: Being able to see clearly is crucial in baseball. It’s a really difficult game, you’re tracking a 100mph grounder, reading spin and reacting instantly. Your body must be at 100%, including your eyes.

But for years I didn’t know what was going on with my eyes – they always felt dry and my vision would get blurry, especially while playing at night. I went to my doctor about it - he said I have dry eye disease8 and prescribed a product called MIEBO® (perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution). Since treating my dry eye symptoms, I now feel more confident in my performance.

AM: Can you tell us about dry eye disease and how are you managing it?

BR: Most people who have dry eye disease, including me, have tears that evaporate too quickly. It’s actually the number one cause of dry eye. Healthy tears last for 10 to 15 seconds. Mine only lasts 5 seconds, which leads to irritation, especially in places like stadiums where you’ve got wind, dust and bright lights. Now I use MIEBO as part of my daily routine four times per day. My eye doctor told me that MIEBO works by forming a protective layer on the eye’s surface that helps reduce tear evaporation and maintain that moisture on the eye. However, the exact way MIEBO works is unknown.

AM: How does eye health fit into wellness and recovery routines that you implement throughout the season?

BR: Eye health is one of the biggest parts of my wellness and recovery routine. Just like your body needs rest, so do your eyes. I take care of my eyes during a game. I also make sure they get a lot of rest before and after games and drink plenty of water to keep my eyes hydrated.

MIEBO® (perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution) is used to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Do not use if you are allergic to MIEBO, o not use if you are allergic to MIEBO, remove contact lenses before using MIEBO and wait for at least 30 minutes before reinserting. It is important to use it exactly as prescribed.

AM: Here at Athleisure Mag, we have a team that includes those that are taking images, looking at images, graphic work, selecting garments and focusing on matching hues and it’s a lot of eye work - what can we do to support our eye health?

BR: I love playing video games to relax, but that’s another activity that can strain your eyes. For activities like baseball, or staring at a screen, you can focus so hard you forget to blink. If you’re looking at a screen for a long period, I think it’s important to take a break and look away to relax your eye muscles. And it’s even more important to see an eye doctor regularly. If your symptoms keep bugging you, and artificial tears aren’t really cutting it, it might be time to ask an eye doctor if you have dry eye and if you can try a prescription like MIEBO.

AM: With MLB All Star Weekend behind us, we are now in the back half of the season! Tell us about your expanded role at the Cleveland Guardians and how are you approaching it mentally and physically?

BR: The team is having another great year all around and we feel really good about how we’re performing. The second half of a long season is where you have to lock in even more and keep the same intensity as you push for the postseason because games get tougher and the playoff race gets tighter. I’m working around the clock to help my team however I can.

AM: How do you achieve the balance of taking personal time for yourself when you’re in the midst of baseball season being on the field as well as traveling for games?

BR: Baseball is such a long season and there aren’t many breaks, so finding time to just enjoy being around your teammates, or finding small activities that can help you relax in your down time is really crucial.

IG @rocchio05

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Brayan Rocchio/IG