Rios moves readers through her personal journey of family, love, loss, and grief in a series of heartfelt essays inspired by the rules and traditions of America’s Pastime. As a love of baseball plays a pivotal role in her survival of a challenging childhood, Rios learns to play the game of life with dignity, conviction, and a focus a future she dares to imagine for herself and her family.

Raw, unfiltered, unapologetic, and truly inspirational. One filled with sadness and sorrows, but also of laughter and joy. Intertwined with lessons learned along the way, all wrapped up in the emblem of baseball. Just like a batter who yearns for another at-bat after a strikeout, when life knocks you down, after you’ve gotten up and dusted yourself off, what do you hope for?
– Alexander Deak

When we talk about grief, the language we use matters, and Jessica understands that deeply. She seamlessly weaves together all of her hats: the clinician, the devoted Yankee fan, the daughter, the healing inner child, and the straight-talking girl from New York. With professional insight and personal honesty, she offers a layered, deeply human exploration of grief and loss that feels both relatable and profoundly validating. It’s a total grand slam!
– Kera Sanchez, Founder & Editor-in-Chief at Get Griefy Magazine

Jessica Rios writes with the kind of honesty that stops you in your tracks. In these pages, grief, addiction, family, and survival unfold through baseball metaphors that feel both intimate and universal. Her stories move between heartbreak and hope with tenderness, reminding us that even in the most chaotic innings of life, compassion and resilience can change the game. This is a brave and deeply human book about loss, healing, and the quiet strength it takes to keep showing up. A great read for anyone navigating grief.
– Jasleni Brito