FULL NAMEÂ â Damian Escobedo.
NICKNAMES â Dames, D, Escobedo, âThe Southside Ghostâ (by Cubs fans).
FACECLAIMÂ â Taylor Zakhar Perez.
GENDER & PRONOUNSÂ â Cis man, he/him/his.
SEXUALITY â Homosexual.
RELATIONSHIP STATUS â Single.
AGE â 29.
BIRTHDAYÂ â July 31 ( Leo )
OCCUPATIONÂ â Chicago Cubs shortstop.
RESIDENCEÂ â Skyline Lofts #1227 (The Loft District).
TW: PARENTAL DEATH, CHILD ABUSE, SUICIDE ATTEMPT, PTSD, DEPRESSION, ALCOHOLISM, DRUG ABUSE, ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP, EMOTIONAL ABUSE
Damian Escobedo was born on Chicagoâs Southside, the eldest child of Lupita and Ariel Escobedo, and from the moment he could walk, he carried the weight of his family on his shoulders. When Lupita died giving birth to his youngest sister, Pilar, Damianâs world shattered. His father, Ariel, spiraled into alcoholism and abuse, leaving Damian to raise his sisters, Sofia and Pilar, in a home filled with chaos and fear. Despite the turmoil, Damian found solace on the baseball field, where his talent as a shortstop earned him a scholarship to the University of Chicago. But the pressure to succeed, coupled with the trauma of his childhood and the secret of his sexuality, led him to a breaking point. At 19, he attempted to take his own life, surviving only to confront the pain heâd buried for years. With the support of his sisters and therapy, Damian rebuilt his life, coming out as gay and finding a new sense of purpose.
Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals at 22, Damianâs career took off, and by 25, he was playing for his hometown team, the Chicago Cubs. For a time, life was good â he was sober, successful, and surrounded by people who loved him. But his world unraveled again when he met Jason Plymouth, a wealthy businessman who drew him into a toxic relationship. Jasonâs manipulation and emotional abuse led Damian to relapse into drinking, jeopardizing his career and his mental health. The relationship ended violently when Jason verbally attacked Pilar, prompting Damian to finally walk away. Now 29, Damian is six months sober, working to rebuild his career and his sense of self, with his sisters by his side every step of the way.
Today, Damian is a man in flux. Benched by the Cubs after a season marred by his relapse, heâs fighting to prove himself on and off the field. Therapy has become a lifeline, helping him unpack the scars of his childhood and the damage left by Jason. His sisters, Sofia and Pilar, remain his anchors, their love a constant reminder of why he keeps going. Though the public sees only the star athlete, Damian is quietly learning to love himself, one day at a time. Chicago may know him as the Southside Ghost, but Damian is determined to show the world â and himself â that heâs more than a cautionary tale. Heâs a survivor, a protector, and, finally, a man unafraid to fight for his own happiness.
⌠Has been playing D&D for years, first with a group of close friends and later with a few of his Cubs teammates. He often chooses any healer or healer-adjacent class.
⌠He hates both coffee and tea, so he does not have any stake in the discourse between the two.
⌠Has a pre-game ritual that involves wearing the same pair of socks he wore during his first MLB game and tapping his bat three times on home plate. He refuses to skip any part of it, even if it drives his teammates crazy.
⌠Heâs not very up-to-date with pop culture. He spent most of his youth raising his sisters and trying his best to keep it together â heâs missed out on a lot of TV.
⌠Growing up around his fatherâs failing car shop, Damian picked up a knack for fixing cars. He still tinkers with engines in his garage, often helping friends and teammates with their vehicles.
⌠Damian has a habit of subtly vetting anyone who gets close to Sofia or Pilar. Heâll casually ask about their job, their family, and their intentions, all while maintaining a friendly demeanor.
⌠He volunteers at a local youth baseball clinic, teaching underprivileged kids how to play. Heâs patient and encouraging, often staying late to help the ones who struggle the most. Itâs his way of giving back to the community that raised him.
⌠His biggest fear isnât physical harm or public scrutiny â itâs letting down the people who depend on him. Heâs working on this in therapy, but it still drives a lot of his decisions, both on and off the field.
⌠Makes the best chiles en nogada youâll ever taste, a recipe he learned from his mother. He only cooks it on special occasions, like birthdays or holidays.
⌠Is a hopeless romantic. He loves grand gestures.
⌠Has a paralyzing fear of heights, which he hides by avoiding roller coasters, glass elevators, and anything that involves looking down from a great height.
⌠Though he loves animals, he doesnât currently have a pet. He feels itâs unfair to keep one with how often he travels for his job.
⌠Some dude he met in college while he was still in the closet and drinking probably wrote Wish You Were Sober about him, honestly. (This might be a WC eventually tbh).