SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners teamed up with two former University of Washington football players in support of mental health awareness.
Race Porter and Myles Gaskin, lifelong friends and teammates at UW, launched streetwear brand Heart On My Sleeve (HOMS) in 2020. Their designs were intended to promote open conversations about mental health.
The idea was born from Porter’s own silent struggle with anxiety and depression. He spent years managing alone – but when he finally opened up, Gaskin’s support changed his life.
"When the time came, I was just his best friend,” Gaskin said.
They founded HOMS to spark conversations and help shift perceptions, encouraging people to view mental health the same way they view physical health.
That message aligns with a Mariners initiative to spread awareness.
"In athletes, you can always see a physical injury but you can't always see a mental one,” said Emma Calle with the Mariners Group Events Team. “I think bringing awareness to it and bringing the conversation up is huge."
The organization’s design team collaborated with Porter on a special edition T-shirt for Mental Health Awareness Night at the ballpark.
"Dream come true - anytime you get to work with the Mariners, no hesitation,” he said. "I said 'Go crazy' and they knocked it out of the park. No pun intended."
Fans can purchase specially priced $31 Main Level or $21 View Level tickets to the June 14 game and receive the limited edition shirt. $5 from every ticket sold will be donated to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
The major league exposure will also help spread the HOMS message further.
"There's obviously such a wonderful fan base for the Mariners, just to kind of attach our brand along with it, I hope people can feel like there's a community within a community,” Porter said. "I think our designs are clean, I think our mission is important, I've seen the impact it can have, so as much as we can push it to the world, that's the goal. And I see infinite possibility."
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