Navegantes del Magallanes, the challenge of playing the Caribbean Series

Before becoming a Major League prospect, Nivaldo Rodríguez signed in Venezuela with Navegantes del Magallanes, but he has never worn his uniform nor will he for the moment due to an MLB veto over this organization in that country, the target of United States sanctions. .

And in the Caribbean Series-2022, where Magallanes represents Venezuela, this 24-year-old pitcher plays with Caguas Creoles from Puerto Rico.

The challenge of Navegantes del Magallanes

The Venezuelan team assumes the tournament with a ban on having players from the Major League Baseball system, in force since 2019.

It has not been easy, under these circumstances, to put together the champion team of Venezuela, the second largest exporter of baseball players from Big leagues after the Dominican Republic.

“It all depends on the availability of the players and if they have an MLB contract, but there were boys available and thank God we have had them here,” manager Wilfredo Romero told AFP, who despite everything has been able to align pieces like ‘El Panda’ Pablo Sandoval, today a free agent in the MLB.

Endorsement… with exceptions

Born in Valencia, home of the Navegantes, Rodríguez, 24, opened the Criollos’ first game on Friday with a good service record: five blank innings, in which he allowed two hits and distributed six strikeouts.

“It doesn’t matter what shirt you’re wearing, you just have to go out and do what you do best (…). I’ve always been a fan of the Boston Red Sox in the Major Leagues and I got to pitch them (with the Houston Astros) last year. Mixed emotions”, he expressed at a press conference after his opening on Friday at the Quisqueya Stadium in Santo Domingo.

Rodríguez had internships in 2020 and 2021 with Houston and now belongs to the Detroit Tigers organization.

A veto from the Major Leagues put the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP) in difficulty in the 2019-2020 season, as it denied players from MLB organizations the option to play in that circuit, then sponsored by the state oil company PDVSA. .

Washington’s sanctions, which prohibit US citizens and organizations from doing business with the government of President Nicolás Maduro, echoed in the diamonds.

The MLB watched its back, although the veto was lifted months later, when the LVBP renounced its sponsorship of PDVSA.

There are, however, two exceptions among the eight teams in that league: Tigres de Aragua and… Magallanes, since both maintain links with state foundations in their directives.

Wanted contract

“It’s a privilege to be here,” Romero says of the Caribbean Series.

Pablo Sandoval and Willians Astudillo are presented as two of the most dangerous bats of Magallanes. Both played in 2021 in the Major Leagues, but they are looking for a contract while waiting for the negotiations for a new collective agreement between owners and players to be resolved. As free agents they are not affected by the veto.

Owner of four World Series rings, Sandoval played 69 games with the Atlanta Braves last year.

The 35-year-old slugger has spent 14 seasons in the “Big Show” with the San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox and Braves, in which he has accumulated a batting average of .278 and collected 153 home runs, 639 RBIs and 548 runs scored.

«I wanted to come to the Caribbean Series, but only with Magallanes. It was fulfilled, “said Sandoval, who debuts in the classic with the team in which he began his professional career.

Astudillo, chosen as reinforcement for the Caribbean classic after having been Magallanes’ rival in the local final with Caribes de Anzoátegui, played 72 games with the Minnesota Twins.

There is, at the same time, American representation with Cade Gotta, Most Valuable Player of the LVBP final.

Navegantes began the Caribbean Series on Friday with a 6×1 defeat against Caimanes de Barranquilla, from Colombia, but recovered on Saturday by whitewashing Charros de Jalisco, from Mexico, 5×0.