Garrett Stubbs Signs Off from Houston with His Hype Man Emoji

Garrett Stubbs’ time with the Houston Astros came to end last Friday, when the catcher was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. The 28-year-old had been with the organization since 2015, when he was drafted in the eighth round of the MLB Draft.

Stubbs made his major-league debut in 2019, and over his three years with the Astros, he was the third catcher on the 40-man roster, who would be optioned and promoted when needed. Versatility complemented Stubbs’ game, while he found playing time at second base and the corner outfield spots.

His time in Houston was nearing an end with other minor-league catchers developing, but that won’t stop his chances of being the backup with the Phillies. While he starts a new chapter in Philadelphia, Stubbs made sure to say goodbye to Astros’ fans on social media.

Garrett Stubbs’ says goodbye to Houston and Astros’ fans with his signature emoji.

"“What a roller coaster of emotions these past few days… My time with the Astros has been nothing short of a players dream. From championships to lifelong friends, it’s been an incredible journey,” Garrett Stubbs said on Instagram. “To our owner Jim Crane, the front office, our coaching staff, Houston media, THE FANS and of course the players I’ve gotten to play along side of, you have given me memories for a lifetime — thank you. To The City of Brotherly Love! I look forward to doing everything I can to help bring a championship back to Philly. Let’s do the damn thang!🕺🏻”"

When Stubbs was at the major-league level, he wasn’t always on the field, so he did his part in the dugout as a hype man. Astros writer Michael Schwab started calling the 5-foot-10 catcher the Astros’ hype man, incorporating the usage of the dancing emoji.

What started as a small inside joke between the two became Stubbs’ and Schwab’s goto emoji to use when describing his impact. Schwab first used the emoji in August of 2021, when Stubbs was in Triple-A with the Sugar Land Skeeters.

https://twitter.com/michaelschwab13/status/1430899176448028682?s=21

“This has been very special to me,” Schwab said. “I’ve never seen a player take something I was doing with them and make it public.”

Schwab was grateful to see Stubbs use the emoji that he used to describe him in his farewell note.

“It was a fun inside joke and it’s certainly taken fire,” Stubbs said. “It was always fun going back and forth on Twitter with the hype man emoji. I’m going miss all the Houston love.”

Stubbs is now in Philadelphia, and it is safe to say that his former teammates will miss his support and energy from the dugout next season.