How the Sunday Night Baseball analyst still trains like an Olympian
Olympic softball gold medalist Jessica Mendoza made history in 2015 when she became the first female commentator in MLB postseason history. Earlier this year, she increased her impact on the male-dominated industry by joining the New York Mets front office as an advisor, where she helps to evaluate players, construct rosters, and more.
Mendoza, who hails from Camarillo, California, will be part of ESPN’s broadcast team for the July 2019 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby for the fifth time. Though she’s constantly traveling, the 38-year-old ESPN analyst still finds time for fitness.
Here, Mendoza’s must-have workout equipment, snack, and more:
Concept2 Model E Indoor rower
“I still train like I am training for the Olympics. I am obsessed with working out—I just have to move every day. I am not a big endurance cardio person, as I prefer fast sprints. I’ll hit 3,000 meters on this rower before a strength training session.”
TRX Suspension Trainer
“We turned part of our garage into a home gym and have the TRX bolted in the ceiling. I always try and work both sides of the body, so I do pull-ups, push-ups, Ys, Xs, Ws, hamstring curls from a bridge position, mountain climbers, and one-legged squats—anything that activates multiple body parts in one exercise.”
Niyama Sol leggings
“I am really into this clothing brand, which Alex Rodriguez introduced me to. I have seven pairs of their leggings now. They are so comfortable and I like the bright prints. I wear workout clothes every day, so I don’t like to have black pants. I want to make a statement.”
Under Armour training shoes
“I wear a variety of different pairs and don’t go after a specific kind. They have to be lightweight as I know I’ll be moving a lot.”
RXBARS
“I live on bars and I always have tons of these in my purse. A lot of that comes from working in TV and covering four- or five-hour games. My kids love them too.”
Ninja Professional Blender 1000
"I have to get something in my body 30 minutes after I work out or later in the day I will crash, so I usually make smoothies with peanut or almond butter, spinach, kale, dates, cocoa, almond milk, hemp seeds, and chia seeds.”
Hydro Flask
“I never have soda, but I drink a lot of naturally-flavored sparkling water, such as grapefruit or lemon. I always have a full reusable bottle with me and make sure I empty it by the end of the day. I am on planes so much that it’s always a challenge for me to stay hydrated. This bottle is my family’s go-to as they also have a version for kids.”
Lancôme Hydrating Skin Tint SPF 23
“I am not a huge makeup person so I use this tinted face lotion with sunscreen if I am going to the ballpark and want some coverage. I don’t like having foundation on my face. I prefer to let my skin breathe.”
Photo: ESPN (Mendoza)