HOUSTON, TX – December 13, 2025 – Houston Astros All-Star shortstop Jeremy Peña announced his engagement to Canadian soccer star Julia Grosso on Friday via Instagram.
The 28-year-old Peña proposed to Grosso on a beach in St. Lucia, where the shortstop knelt in rose-covered sand in front of a large light display reading “Marry Me.” The couple shared photos of the proposal in a collaborative Instagram post captioned “A lifetime with you.💍”
Peña, the 2022 World Series MVP, is coming off a career-best 2025 season in which he hit .304 with 17 home runs, 62 RBIs and 20 stolen bases while earning his first All-Star selection. The performance established him as one of the American League’s top shortstops in his fourth major league season.
Grosso, 24, is a midfielder for the NWSL’s Chicago Red Stars and the Canadian Women’s National Team. She became a Canadian sports hero by scoring the decisive penalty kick that clinched the gold medal for Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A two-time All-American at the University of Texas, Grosso previously played professionally for Juventus in Italy before signing with the Red Stars in 2024.
The couple made their relationship public in December 2024 and have since supported each other’s athletic careers, with Peña attending Red Stars matches wearing Grosso’s jersey.
The engagement announcement drew congratulations from throughout the baseball and soccer communities, including from Astros teammates and their families.
Peña has two years remaining before becoming eligible for free agency following the 2027 season.
