When Molly and Paul Sewald had their first daughter, they began to understand the responsibilities of raising a child.
“I just think about everything that Molly and I do for our girls, and it just kills me to see that some of these families don’t have all the resources that they could possibly have,” said Sewald, a closer for the Arizona Diamondbacks. “So, if I can do anything to help them, then I feel like that’s necessary.”
During his Major League career, he and Molly have been fortunate enough to be charitable. They’re continuing that with Sewald’s Strikeouts 4 Kids in Arizona, which benefits Child Crisis Arizona.
Child Crisis Arizona provides emergency shelter, foster care and counseling to vulnerable children and families around the state.
The Sewalds pledged to donate $1,000 for every strikeout thrown by Sewald during the 2024 season. The Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation will make a matching gift to Child Crisis Arizona at the end of the season.
Sewald’s Strikeouts 4 Kids strives to give families the resources to provide a safe living environment free of abuse and neglect for children. While Sewald acknowledged he can’t help everyone, he said he doesn’t like seeing children or families struggle to get the proper help.
Sewald started a similar program while he was pitching for the Seattle Mariners.
“We decided to give money for every strikeout I have during the season to an organization that helps kids because kids have been the center of our lives the last few years,” Sewald said.
2024 was the logical time to bring the effort to Arizona, as last year he was traded to the D-backs midseason. The D-backs’ front office was helpful, offering the Sewalds possible partners within 24 hours.
“They have been absolutely instrumental in making sure that we can get this off the ground, we can find the people that we needed to talk to,” he said. “The line of communication was extremely quick to try and make sure that we get this done.
“It’s just a credit to Ken (Kendrick, managing general partner) and Derrick (Hall, chief executive officer) and just the people we have here. That wasn’t even an ‘ask’ of mine; simply that was part of the conversation, and I’m forever grateful that they’ll do that.”
As of June 20, Sewald had 12 strikeouts, totaling $12,000 for Child Crisis Arizona.
“I try to strike everybody out so that’s just what I try to do every time,” Sewald said. “There’s a part of me that feels disappointed when I have two strikes and I don’t get a strikeout — especially when I know it’s going for kids.”
Sewald encouraged fans and the public to donate if they can.
“We like to think of it as a win, win, win, so if you donate you’re not only helping kids, but you’re helping the Diamondbacks and you’re helping me,” Sewald said. “Whatever anybody could donate is greatly, greatly appreciated.”