PHILADELPHIA — They hailed from Holguín and Las Tunas, from Mantua and Sagua la Grande, from Isla de la Juventud and La Habana. On Tuesday, they descended upon Residents Financial institution Park, seven Cubans in all, marking a file for a Main League All-Star Sport.
“We’re all Cuban on the finish of the day,” Rays designated hitter Yandy Díaz stated by means of an interpreter. “We’re all Cuban brothers and all of us get alongside.”
It was Aroldis Chapman, the 38-year-old elder statesman of the group on his ninth All-Star roster, who formally set the file when he entered to guard a four-run lead within the ninth. Although the Pink Sox nearer confronted simply two batters, retiring them each, his presence accomplished a historic septet of Cubans.
Together with Chapman, there was Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, the Main League OPS chief who began at DH for the American League and recorded the sport’s first hit. There was Tampa Bay’s Díaz, who changed Alvarez as a pinch-hitter within the fifth. There was Chicago’s Miguel Vargas, a first-time All-Star who engineered one of many night time’s most memorable moments when he homered off Justin Wrobleski within the eighth. There was Seattle’s Randy Arozarena, a three-time All-Star who completed the sport in left discipline, going 1-for-2. There was Los Angeles’ Andy Pages, the Nationwide League’s beginning middle fielder, and Atlanta’s Raisel Iglesias, who fired a scoreless sixth.
“Seven — it’s a giant quantity,” Arozarena stated by means of an interpreter. “Seven Cubans right here. It makes me additional comfortable, as a result of I do know what everybody went by means of to come back and play baseball on the highest degree. And I do know that there’s nonetheless numerous expertise, and there’s nonetheless extra to come back.”
Previous to Tuesday, the file for Cubans in an All-Star Sport was six, set in 1968 by Joe Azcue, Bert Campaneris, Leo Cardenas, Tony Oliva, Tony Perez and Luis Tiant, and matched in 2023 by Arozarena, Díaz, Yennier Cano, Adolis García, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Jorge Soler.
Making the brand new file all of the extra astounding was the truth that solely 28 Cuban-born gamers have appeared in an MLB recreation this season. Of these, 25% made the All-Star Sport, in comparison with round 5% of the final MLB inhabitants.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” Díaz stated. “I by no means thought I’d get to an All-Star Sport, interval. So to be in my second one and to be with this whole group is one thing actually particular.”
Lengthy earlier than coming collectively on Tuesday, the Cuban contingent fashioned a brotherhood throughout MLB. Arozarena and Díaz, for instance, performed 4 seasons collectively in Tampa Bay. Arozarena grew up near Pages and was a childhood teammate of Alvarez, who typically works out with him within the offseason. He additionally shares a birthday with Chapman and texts the reliever typically.
“Glad and proud to be a part of this group,” Chapman stated by means of an interpreter. “Which means rather a lot for us, and in addition talks in regards to the season the Cubans are having and we’re having. Hopefully subsequent yr, we get to interrupt the file and produce much more.”
In fact, even in an All-Star Sport, enterprise comes first. In his first at-bat within the fifth inning, Vargas hit a 104.3 mph line drive to the right-center-field hole, the place Pages ran it down with relative ease simply shy of the warning monitor.
“He ought to be extra of a buddy of mine and let that go,” Vargas stated, laughing. “Simply within the All-Star Sport. He can catch that in the course of the season. He is usually a good buddy typically, however he’s not.”
On a extra critical observe, Vargas stated the All-Star Sport provided him a chance to bond along with his fellow Cubans — some, like Pages, that he knew effectively, and others that he didn’t.
“I imply this from the underside of my coronary heart,” Vargas stated. “I understand how arduous it’s for all of the Cuban gamers to get this chance and be on the largest stage. A pair years in the past, I used to be watching all these guys being within the World Collection and All-Star. Now for me coming in right here and sharing a second with them is unbelievable.”
