Father and Son Meet on MLB Field After 30 Years in Baseball

When Drew Epperson walked out of the Royals dugout in full uniform Tuesday night, his dad had no idea what was happening. Chad Epperson, the Red Sox's interim third-base coach, had just been told to handle the lineup card exchange and was protesting because he didn't want to mess with the team's winning streak.

Then he turned around and saw his son walking toward home plate.

Drew has been going to ballparks with his dad since he was 5 years old. Chad spent over 30 years in baseball, playing nine Minor League seasons before coaching throughout the Red Sox farm system.

But this week marked the first time father and son met on a Major League field.

"There's nothing that's going to match that," Chad said. "A really cool moment that I know both of us will never forget."

The reunion almost didn't happen. At the start of the season, Chad was managing Double-A Portland. But when the Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora last month and overhauled their coaching staff, Chad got promoted to the big league club as interim third-base coach.

Drew, who works as the Royals' video assistant, immediately thought of the schedule. He knew Boston would be in Kansas City in mid-May.

Royals bench coach Paul Hoover, who knows Chad from their years in baseball, reached out to coordinate the surprise. The Royals even had to scramble to find Drew the smallest baseball pants they had, since he normally works in the video room out of uniform.

Drew never mentioned it to his dad, hoping it would be a complete surprise. It worked perfectly.

Sunny's Take

Growing up as a coach's kid, Drew learned the old-school way first. He played through high school but knew his future was off the field. His dad encouraged him to explore other paths in the game.

At the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Drew started doing laundry for the baseball team but worked his way up to advanced scouting and video. The Royals hired him as a video trainee in 2022 and promoted him to the Major League staff in 2025.

Now their conversations blend old and new. Chad trusts what his eyes tell him after decades in the game. Drew brings analytics and technology insights.

"The game evolves, right?" Drew said. "I kind of learned the old school way first. And when I realized I wasn't going to play, I realized that analytics and video and technology could be the way."

Chad couldn't be prouder. "For him to be doing this, not only in the game, but at this level, I know that makes him so happy," he said.

The picture from home plate now has a permanent spot in the Epperson family home.