Daily Major League Baseball (MLB) Cuban Players News for the 2022 season. A compendium from several MLB sources. Apr 9, 2022 Aroldis Chapman didn't allow a run while picking up a save Saturday against the Red Sox. Chapman didn't allow a hit, but did have to face the tying run twice because of a throwing error by Isaiah Kiner-Falefa. The long-time closer was able to get the final two hitters out without trouble, and has his first save o the 2022 season. Chapman should get plenty of chances to help in that category this year. MLB Jorge Soler didn't record a hit -- going 0-for-2 -- but he managed to draw two walks in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Giants. Soler drew a four-pitch walk at top of the fifth but was left stranded. He then drew another four-pitch walk in the top of the seventh but was once again left stranded. The Marlins signed the 30-year-old slugger to a three-year deal last month and as long as he stays healthy, he'll be a useful source of power for fantasy managers in 2022. Raisel Iglesias shut down the Astros in the ninth inning on Saturday, collecting his first save of the 2022 season in the process. Iglesias made quick work of the heart of the Astros order in this one, getting Alex Bregman to pop weakly back to him, Yordan Alvarez on a ground ball to second base, and Aledmys Diaz on strikes, needing just eight pitches to get the job done. Iglesias remains one of the truly elite closing options in the game and there's no reason to think that his performance is going to fall off in 2022. Vladimir Gutierrez pitched decently in a losing effort against the Braves on Saturday evening, giving up two runs on six hits across 4 1/3 frames. The right-hander struck out four while walking a pair in the ballgame. All of the damage done against him came in the opening inning when Marcell Ozuna delivered an RBI double and Ozzie Albies followed with a sacrifice fly. He was able to keep the Braves off the board for the remainder of his night, but the damage had already been done. Gutierrez generated seven whiffs in the contest and posted a CSW of 28 percent. He’ll try again to get in the win column when he does battle against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Friday. Yasmani Grandal walloped a two-run homer Saturday, leading the White Sox to a 5-2 victory over the Tigers. Despite chilly temperatures in the upper 30s at the first pitch, Grandal managed to drive a Casey Mize offering 408 feet into the right-center field seats for a critical two-run homer in the sixth inning. It was the first round-tripper of the young season for the 33-year-old veteran on-base machine. Apr 8, 2022 Aledmis Díaz smacks solo shot. Diaz went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional RBI in a 13-6 triumph over the Angels. Impact Diaz tied the game with one of six Houston home runs in the fourth inning and later singled home another run in the seventh. The utility man should see semi-regular at-bats this season in a fill-in roll throughout the infield and has shown the ability to hold down an opportunity if it arises. Astros placed 1B Yuli Gurriel on the paternity leave list. Gurriel is expected to be away from the team for a couple of games. Aledmys Diaz will start in his place at first base and bat fifth against Angels southpaw Reid Detmers on Friday evening. Joe Perez was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move. Adolis García homered against Blue Jays. Adolis García went 1-for-3 against Toronto in a 10-8 loss to the American League East rival. It was Adolis's first homer of the 2022 season, a fly ball to right-center field that traveled .404 feet and had an exit velocity of 104.8 mph according to StatCast. García crushed an 88.3 mph sinker from right-handed reliever Adam Cimber in 2-1 count. Yordan Álvarez walloped a solo homer Thursday, leading the Astros to a 3-1 season-opening victory over the Angels. Álvarez went back-to-back with Alex Bregman, crushing a titanic 422-foot no-doubter to center field off righty reliever Ryan Tepera in the eighth inning. The 24-year-old slugger is an upper-echelon four-category fantasy contributor and appears poised for another monster season in Houston if he continues to stay healthy. Yadiel Hernandez is in left field and batting sixth for the Nationals on Friday versus the Mets. Hernandez will get the start over Lane Thomas, who went 0-for-3 with a walk-in Thursday's opener. The Nats also have Dee Strange-Gordon in center field over Victor Robles.

The Cuban National Series All-Star Game (ASG) returned on Sunday afternoon after skipping the 2021 pandemic year, and the West picked up the win at Victoria de Girón Stadium in Matanzas. The West won 12-11 in extra innings (10), their 16th victory in the Cuban classic against the East, dating back to 1963 when the rivalry started. It was the 35th edition of the All-Star Game, and now the East and West are tied with 16 wins, while two games were celebrated under different teams' names, and the 2015 ASG was started but cancelled after 4 1/2 innings due to rain. On Sunday, Carlos de la Tejeda picked up the first ASG walk-off hit of his career, a tenth-inning single to leftfield off reliever Carlos J. Viera, to give the West the win. For the West, reliever Kendry Hernández pitched 1 2/3 perfect innings with one strikeout to pick up his first ASG win. BOX SCORE Here are some other memorable moments of the 2022 Cuban National Series All-Star Game: Dayán García's (West-Artemisa) hit a Grand Slam in the bottom of the fourth inning. It was only the second time in ASG history that a Grand Slam is recorded. Previous one? Lisbán Correa (West-Industriales) during the 2020 ASG RHP Carlos J. Viera (East-Las Tunas) tied retired RHP Carlos Yánes (West-Isla de la Juventud) all-time record of 3 ASG decisions Eliseo Rojas (West-Isla de la Juventud) scored three times in the game tying an all-time record Pedro P. Revilla (East-Guantánamo) set a new record with four strikeouts in the game (Golden sombrero), he had an horrible afternoon going 0-for-5 Frederich Cepeda (East-Sancti Spíritus) tied retired catcher Eriel Sánchez (East-Sancti Spíritus) for the most All-Star appearances with 11. Cepeda went 3-for-3 with 2 RBIs and an intentional walk in the game Dayán García's (West-Artemisa) Grand Slam was the 45th homer in All-Star Games history The East had five extra-bases in the game to tie an all-time record It was the 4th game that went to extra-innings after the 1967, 2003, and 2011 editions (all of them decided in 10th innings) It was the second ASG with the most runs scored in history (23) after the 2011 ASG when a total of 28 runs were scored (East 15, West 13) Michael González (West-Mayabeque) became the 5th manager in history to win a ASG in both roles, as a player and manager. Lázaro Pérez (East-Azucareros), Pedro Jova (East-Villa Clara), Roger Machado (East-Ciego de Ávila), and Víctor Mesa (East-Villa Clara) did it before 2022 Home Run Derby Before the All-Star Game, the 2022 Home Run Derby was held, and Las Tunas' catcher, Rafael Viñales, won the competition with 11 home runs. It was Viñales' second Home Run Derby crown. He also won the 2016 Home Run Derby, coincidentally, in the same Victoria de Girón Stadium in Matanzas. The 2022 Home Run Derby was held between four players, who qualified from Saturday's Home Run Derby qualifying rounds. 2022 Home Run Derby, Sunday's results: Rafael Viñales (East-Las Tunas) - 11 HRs Pedro P. Revilla (East-Guantánamo) - 10 Yasser Julio González (West-Pinar del Río) - 8 (2020 champion) Alfredo Fadraga (East- Ciego de Ávila) - 7 2022 All-Star Game Images

The rosters of the Western and Eastern teams for the 2022 Cuban National Series All-Star Game (ASG) have been named, as announced today by the Cuban Baseball Federation. The rosters were unveiled earlier this afternoon on Jit, Cuba's main sports newspaper. A total of 26 players were selected per team, that will have Mayabeque's manager Michael González leading the Western Team, while Sancti Spíritus' manager Eriel Sánchez will be in charge of the Eastern All-Star Team. One change in the selection process for both teams is that now players selected from the Sancti Spíritus team will be part of the Eastern All-Star roster, while players from the Villa Clara team, included in the ASG, will be playing for the Western All-Star roster. The geographical position of both territories - Sancti Spíritus province is closest to the East part of Cuba while Villa Clara province is closest to the West side of the island - was the key factor in this important change for this year and future games. The 2022 All-Star Weekend will include on Saturday, March 18 at 2:00 pm (ET), the Home Run Derby, the traditional players "skills test", followed by a Little League exhibition game featuring teams from Bayamo (Granma) and Matanzas. On Sunday, March 19 at 2:00 pm (ET), the 2022 All-Star Game will be played at Victoria de Girón Stadium in Matanzas. 2022 ASG - Western Roster: Pitchers (10): Yulián Quintana (May), Yosvani Torres (Pri), Naykel Cruz (Mtz), Erlis Casanova (Pri), Yoenni Yera (Mtz), Marlon Vega (May), Hermes González (Cfg), Kendry Hernández (Ijv), Yamichel Pérez (Mtz), and Luis A. Padrino (Ijv). Catchers (2): Richel López (Cfg), and Oscar Valdés (Ind). Infielders (8): Yasiel Santoya (Ind), Reidel Pedraza (Vcl), Osbel Pacheco (Art), Juan M. Martínez (May), Andrés Hernández (Ind), Dayán García (Art), Juan C. Arencibia (Pri), and Sandy Menocal (Ind). Outfielders (5): Juan C. López (Vcl), Yasniel González (May), Carlos de la Tejera (Art), Eliseo Rojas (Ijv), and Yusniel Ibáñez (Cfg). DH (1): William Saavedra (Pri). Manager: Michael González (May). 2022 ASG - Eastern Roster: Pitchers (10): Ariel E. Zequeira (Ssp), Danny Betancourt (Scu), Joen Socarrás (Ssp), Yoandri Montero (Scu), Juan S. Contreras (Cmg), César García (Grm), Alexander Valiente (Gtm), Carlos Juan Viera (Ltu), Alejandro Meneses (Ltu), and Kelbis Rodríguez (Grm). Catchers (2): Rafael Viñales (Ltu), and Alfredo Fadraga (Cav). Infielders (8): Yordanis Samón (Cmg), Pedro P. Revilla (Gtm), Raúl González (Cav), Dasiel Sevila (Scu), Adriel Labrada (Scu), Yordanis Alarcón (Ltu), Alexander Ayala (Cmg), and Moisés Esquerrés (Ssp). Outfielders (5): Yoelkis Guibert (Scu), Over L. Cremé (Gtm), Alexquemer Sánchez (Grm), Carlos Gómez (Ssp), and Leonel Moas (Cmg). DH (1): Frederich Cepeda (Ssp). Manager: Eriel Sánchez (Ssp).

There were fans in attendance at Mártires de Barbados Park for 1st time in almost two years. Yes, a total of 8,500 fans that were loud but still, could not avoid Granma's first loss of the season, during the 61th National Series Opening Day on Sunday. The Matanzas Crocodiles turned the stadium as it was during the previous 2021 season without fans. Related: Box Game Highlights Eduardo Blanco led off the 7th with a solo-homer, Naykel Cruz struck out 3 in 4 1/3 innings allowing just one single, and the Crocodiles ended up beating the Granma Horses 4-3 Sunday afternoon in the Cuban season opener. Aníbal Medina hit a solo-homer off César García's first pitch of the game, to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead. Matanzas scored another run in the first inning, thanks to Erisbel Arruebarrena double to left field that scored Javier Camero from second. However, Granma did not waste any time responding to the early attack. In the bottom of the first, Roel Santos singled, moved to second in Osvaldo Abreu ground ball to Medina at short, scoring when Raico Santos singled to right field off starter Noelvis Entenza. 12 pitches later and Granma was tying the score, when Guillermo García sent Guille Avilés home with single to left field. Mtz 2, Gra 2 Granma kicked Entenza out of the game in the 5th inning. Ariel Sánchez got on base and scored when Osvaldo Abreu doubled to right-field for a 3-2 lead. Entenza, who beat Granma twice last season, allowed three runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and two walks. He ended up with no decision. Letfty Naikel Cruz came in relief and he was fantastic, first retiring Raico Santos in ground ball to third and then striking out Avilés to end the inning. In the top of 6th, Granma' starter César García allowed the tying run, when Jefferson Delgado doubled and then, with two outs, Arruebarrena singled to right-field bringing Delgado home. One inning later, the fate of the game was decided. Manager Carlos Martí did not call his bullpen after García's difficult 6th inning and ended up paying the price. Eduardo Blanco took care of business starting the inning, producing a solo-homer to center-field off García's 81 pitch of the game, for a decisive 4-3 win. For Matanzas, reliever Naikel Cruz just cruised the rest of the game. The young lefty allowed only one single - of Avilés in the 8th - while struck-out 3 and walked none in 4 2/3 inning using 69 pitches, 65% of them strikes. César García, who started the seventh but completed only six innings, took the loss after allowing four runs on 8 hits, including two homers. García struck-out three and walked two during his first start of the season. It was García's third loss against Matanzas in the last two seasons.

In a move replicating last season schedule of 75-games, the Cuban National Series will have its regular season starting on Sunday, January 23, with only one game scheduled. It will be the inaugural game of the 61th Cuban Season, featuring the host and defending Cuban champion, the Granma Horses, and the Matanzas Crocodiles at 1 pm (ET) at Mártires de Barbados Park in Granma. Two days later all 16 teams are scheduled to take the field on Opening Day. Opening Day will feature 8 match-ups in the first three-games series of the season. The best series of the first week of the tournament will be between two recent Cuban champions, the Las Tunas Woodcutters (2019 champions) and the three-time champions (2016, 2015 & 2012), the Ciego de Ávila Tigers at José R. Cepero Park in Ciego de Ávila. The other seven series include Cienfuegos Elephants-Matanzas Crocodiles at Victoria de Girón Park; Camagüey Bulls-Sancti Spíritus Roosters at José A. Huelga Park; Guantánamo Indians-Granma Horses at Mártires de Barbados Park; Santiago de Cuba Wasps-Holguín Dogs at Calixto García Park; Isla de la Juventud Pirates-Pinar del Río Tobacco Growers at Capitán San Luis Park; Villa Clara Sugar Makers-Mayabeque Hurricanes at Nelson Fernández Park; and Industriales Lions-Artemisa Hunters at 26 de Julio Park. You can find the full schedule of the 2022 season here. In addition, other details of the 2022 Cuban Season include: The season will have identical format than the previous one (60th National Series). Each team will play 75 games – Round Robin system - and there will be three Postseason series The 2022 Cuban Postseason will, once again, have three different series to define the Cuban champion: Quarter-finals, Semifinals, and Finals. The only change for the new season is that the Quarter-finals series will be a best-of-seven series. The first game of the season will be held at Mártires de Barbados Park, the home of the defending champions the Granma Horses, on Sunday, January 23 against the Matanzas Crocodiles No games will be held at municipalities stadiums There will be seven-inning doubleheader games starting at 10:00 am (ET) Each team will be allowed to have up to 40 players in the active roster during home games, while only 25 players will play in away games Players who are currently playing in other leagues must be included in the active 40-man roster, arrive in Cuba before game 60 of the season and have at least 40 at-bats or 20 innings pitched to be able to participate in the 2022 postseason COVID-19 protocol: at least 4 players out of a roster of 40 should test positive for a game to be postponed. Stadiums’ capacity will be limited at 50% and there will be a mask mandate during games Weekly press conferences will be held at the Latinoamericano stadium in Havana, where the Most Valuable Player of the week will be announced The All-Star Game will be celebrated on Sunday, March 19, the venue will be announced later The final day of the 2022 regular season on Wednesday, May 11, featuring 8 games A new tournament, most likely a Selective Series with 6 teams and the best players of the 61th National Series, will be held from October 2022 to January 2023, but the details of this tournament are still unknow The Cuban Baseball Federation elections must be held between January 25-30.

The president of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), Riccardo Fraccari, affirmed this Monday that he is advancing in a plan so that Cuban baseball players can legally go out to play in foreign leagues. Cuban baseball players are currently unable to do so, which has generated tensions and talent leaks, like the one that starred half of the U-23 team last October when they left the World Cup played in Mexico. At a press conference in Havana on the penultimate day of his visit to Cuba, Fraccari was “optimistic” after speaking with members of the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB), although he acknowledged that the agreement “is not done in a day.” One of the main points of his visit, the WBSC president indicated was “Concrete a legal plan that allows leaving with a contract with a foreign league with a legal basis for the protection of the athlete”. Achieving a “legal basis for athlete protection” is something “very important” for baseball players, stressed Fraccari, who considered that the agreement with the FCB would also be able to give Cuban baseball back its “gloss”. In his opinion, he continued, progress has been made: “The result of this visit is that a plan was made, which now needs to be finalized well., so that the players can leave” the country. “I think it can be achieved if we work together,” said Fraccari, who stressed that his visit sought to “open doors.” He added that now “the FCB is willing to discuss this and the WBSC can help as a liaison” with other foreign leagues. The WBSC President he was also satisfied with the FCB project to revitalize baseball on the island and assured that he was presented with a “detailed plan” with the “conditions”, “will” and “budget” to make it so. “Now the conditions and the budget are in place to advance and change some things in Cuban baseball, which deserves for its history, quality and potential to return to being a leading actor on the world scene”, he highlighted. Fraccari also cited WBSC’s plans to launch an international club competition similar to the soccer champions league, as part of his efforts to globalize baseball. “This year there will already be a promotional event,” assured the president of the WBSC, who advanced that work is being done so that the Cuban champion participates.

Cuba celebrated on Friday, 14 January, the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Cuban National Baseball League (Serie Nacional) in the venue where it all started, Latinoamericano Stadium in the capital Havana. Pedro Chavez, Jorge Trigoura and Julio Gonzalez, three legendary players of those days, were honored before historian Félix Julio Alfonso López remembered that Fidel Castro himself hit the ceremonial first ball off pitcher Jorge Santín on that day in 1962. "The newborn league became the first National Championship played in our country," commented López Cuban Baseball Commissioner Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo announced that the 61st edition of the league would open on 23 January with the game between defending champions Granma and Matanzas. The 16 participants will play a 75-game regular season until 11 May. The top eight finishers will advance to the playoffs. WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari attended the night. He presented awards to the National Institute of Sports (INDER), the National Olympic Committee and honoured the Latinoamericano Stadium for its 75 years of service. Fraccari tweeted that he has fond memories of being the first international umpire to work games in the Cuba, indicating that it was an honour to be present for the league's 60th anniversary. The night ended with an exhibition game between the Havana Industriales and defending champions Granma.

Buck O’Neil never uttered a single word of bitterness or regret about not being elected to the baseball Hall of Fame. Till the end, he urged those who loved and rooted for him to do the same. Now, long after a near miss that left many wondering if he’d ever make it, they can rejoice. O’Neil, a champion of Black ballplayers during a monumental, eight-decade career on and off the field, joined Gil Hodges, Minnie Miñoso and three others in getting chosen for the Hall of Fame on Sunday. Former Minnesota Twins teammates Tony Oliva and Jim Kaat also were elected along with Bud Fowler by a pair of veterans committees. “Jubilation,” said Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, that O’Neil helped create. “While we’re all sad that Buck is not here, you just cannot not be happy for all of those who continued to beat that Buck O’Neil drum,” he said. Oliva and Kaat, both 83 years old, are the only living new members. Longtime slugger Dick Allen, who died last December, fell one vote shy of election. The six newcomers will be enshrined in Cooperstown, New York, on July 24, 2022, along with any new members elected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. First-time candidates David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez join Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling on the ballot, with voting results on Jan. 25. Passed over in previous Hall elections, the new members reflect a diversity of accomplishments. This was the first time O’Neil, Miñoso and Fowler had a chance to make the Hall under new rules honoring Negro League contributions. Last December, the statistics of some 3,400 players were added to Major League Baseball’s record books when MLB said it was “correcting a longtime oversight in the game’s history” and reclassifying the Negro Leagues as a major league. O’Neil was a two-time All-Star first baseman in the Negro Leagues and the first Black coach in the National or American leagues. He became the ultimate ambassador for the sport until his death in 2006 at 94 and already is honored with a life-sized statue inside the Hall of Fame. For all O’Neil did for the game his entire life, many casual fans weren’t entirely familiar with him until they watched the nine-part Ken Burns documentary “Baseball,” which first aired on PBS in 1994. There, O’Neil’s grace, wit and vivid storytelling brought back to life the times of Negro Leagues stars Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Cool Papa Bell, plus the days of many more Black ballplayers whose names were long forgotten. Kendrick said it was too bad O’Neil won’t be in Cooperstown for the induction ceremonies, “but you know his spirit is going to fill the valley,” he said. O’Neil played 10 years in the Negro Leagues and helped the Kansas City Monarchs win championships as a player and manager. His numbers were hardly gaudy – a .258 career batting average, nine home runs. But what John Jordan O’Neil Jr. meant to baseball can never be measured by numbers alone. O’Neil was a coach with the Chicago Cubs and enjoyed a prolific career as a scout. His impact is visible to this day. Along with his statue in Cooperstown, the Hall’s board of directors periodically present the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award to a person whose “whose extraordinary efforts enhanced baseball’s positive impact on society … and whose character, integrity and dignity” mirror those shown by O’Neil. In 2006, it appeared O’Neil would get to soak in the praise earned for his work when the Special Committee on Negro Leagues convened to study candidates for the Hall of Fame. The panel indeed elected 17 new members but O’Neil was not among them, narrowly missing out. O’Neil was chosen to speak on behalf of those 17 newcomers, all deceased, on induction day. True to his nature, he didn’t emit a single word of remorse or self-pity about his own fate of being left out. Two months later, O’Neil died in Kansas City. Miñoso was a two-time All-Star in the Negro Leagues before becoming the first Black player for the Chicago White Sox in 1951. Born in Havana, “The Cuban Comet” was seven-time All-Star while with the White Sox and Indians. There was nothing mini about Saturnino Orestes Armas Miñoso on the field. He hit over .300 eight times with Cleveland and Chicago, led the AL in stolen bases three times, reached double digits in home runs most every season and won three Gold Gloves in left field. Miñoso finished up, or so it seemed, in 1964. He came back at age 50 for the White Sox in 1976 – going 1-for-8 – and batted twice in 1980, giving him five decades of playing pro ball. The White Sox retired his No. 9 in 1983 and he remained close to the organization and its players before his death in 2015. Fowler, born in 1858, is often regarded as the first Black professional baseball player. The pitcher and second baseman helped create the popular Page Fence Giants barnstorming team. Hodges became the latest Brooklyn Dodgers star from the pennant-winning “Boys of Summer” to reach the Hall, joining Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Roy Campanella and Pee Wee Reese. An eight-time All-Star with 370 home runs and three-time Gold Glover at first base, Hodges enhanced his legacy when he managed the 1969 “Miracle Mets” to the World Series championship, a startling five-game win over heavily favored Baltimore. Hodges was still the Mets’ manager when he suffered a heart attack during spring training in 1972 and died at 47. His daughter, Irene, said she was with her 95-year-old mother when the vote was announced. “She just pounded her heart and said I‘m so happy for Gil. My dad was a great manager and a great player but above all else he was a great dad,” she said in a statement released by the Mets. Oliva was a three-time AL batting champion with the Twins whose career was cut short by knee problems. “I was looking for that phone call a long time,” Oliva said on MLB Network. “I had so many people work so hard for me to be elected. They said I should have been elected 40 years ago. To be alive to tell the people means a lot me.” Kaat was 283-237 in 25 seasons and a 16-time Gold Glove winner. “I never thought I was the No. 1 pitcher,” he said. “I wasn’t dominant. I was durable and dependable. I am grateful they chose to reward dependability.” O’Neil and Fowler were selected by the Early Days committee. Hodges, Miñoso, Oliva and Kaat were chosen the by the Golden Days committee. The 16-member panels met separately in Orlando, Florida. The election announcement was originally scheduled to coincide with the big league winter meetings, which were nixed because of the MLB lockout. It took 12 votes (75%) for selection: Miñoso drew 14, O’Neil got 13 and Hodges, Oliva, Kaat and Fowler each had 12. Allen had 11. Oliva was an eight-time All-Star and batted .304 in 15 seasons, all with the Twins. The Cuban-born outfielder known for hitting wicked line drives was the 1964 AL Rookie of the Year. Kaat was a three-time All-Star, a three-time 20-game winner and pitched in four decades. He boosted the Twins into the 1965 World Series and won a ring as a reliever on the 1982 Cardinals. Kaat became a longtime broadcaster after he finished playing. During this year’s playoffs, he apologized after saying on an MLB Network game telecast that teams should try to “get a 40-acre field full of” players who look like White Sox infielder Yoán Moncada, who is Cuban. The remark prompted some viewers to recall the unfilled promise by the U.S. government that freed slaves would get 40 acres and a mule after the Civil War.

As the calendar turned to November, Cuban Baseball Commissioner, Mr. Juan R. Pérez Pardo, announced last Friday that the 2022 season will start on January 22th with all 16 teams involved. After a 2020-2021 season with some changes because of the COVID-19 pandemic that affected the country, the new campaign still won’t be a normal season. The COVID-19 pandemic continues impacting Cuba, and at least until further notice, is unknow if fans will be welcomed back to the stadiums. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming season. When will the 2022 Cuban season – 61th National Series - begins? All 16-teams already started training in November and they will be doing it until late December. Opening Day of the 61th Cuban National Series is set for January 22, 2022, and all 16 teams will be in action that day. How many games will be played? The season will have identical format than the previous one (60th National Series). Each team will play 75 games – Round Robin - and there will be three Postseason series. When games will be played? The Cuban Baseball Commissioner announced that the season will mostly be played during the day. Only selected games will be played at night. When the schedule will be released? As usual in Cuba, the season schedule will be announced when the start of the season approaches, usually a month prior to the start of the tournament. What format will be used during the Postseason? The 2022 Cuban Postseason will, once again, have three different series to define the Cuban champion: Quarter-finals, Semifinals, and Finals. The only change for the new season is that the Quarter-finals series will be a best-of-seven series. Other details: The 60th National Series Awards Ceremony will take place on January 14 in Bayamo, Granma. A new tournament, most likely a Selective Series with the best players of the 61th NS, will be held, but the details of this tournament are still unknow. (Photo: The 2021-2022 Cuban Champions Alazanes de Granma/PL)

Braves outfielder Jorge Soler was named 2021 World Series MVP on Tuesday night after he helped Atlanta capture its first World Series title in 26 years. In Game 6 against the Astros, Soler had the most memorable hit of the series, demolishing a three-run home run to put the Braves ahead for good in the title-clinching game. It was the exclamation point on a memorable series for Soler, who came into Game 6 against the Astros with a robust slash line of .294/.368/.706 through the first five games. Then in the third inning Tuesday night, he came up with two on and two out against Luis Garcia, who, pitching on short rest, suddenly looked vulnerable after dominating in the first two innings. Just prior to the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Soler had scalded back-to-back foul balls, and it was obvious he had Garcia timed up pretty well. On that eighth pitch, Garcia threw something in between a slider and a cutter down and in, but the pitch lingered in the zone a bit too long. Soler, suffice it to say, did not miss: That one left the bat at 109.6 mph and traveled an estimated 446 feet. That moonshot merits another angle: That was Soler's third homer of the series, and he became just the fourth Brave ever to hit three home runs in a single World Series. Soler joins Hank Aaron in 1957, Lonnie Smith in 1991, and Ryan Klesko in 1995. More impressively, Soler had three go-ahead homers in this series, and that put him in exclusive company: Soler, the second Cuban-born MVP in World Series history (joining Liván Hernández of the 1997 Marlins), originally joined the Braves at the trade deadline. In 55 games with Atlanta, he hit .269/.358/.524 (128 OPS+) with 14 home runs. He'd previously hit .192/.288/.370 (76 OPS+) with 13 home runs in 94 contests with the Royals. Soler, scheduled to become a free agent this winter, was one of several notable additions Atlanta made to its outfield at the deadline, alongside Eddie Rosario, Joc Pederson, and Adam Duvall. (Photo: Jorge Soler/MLB)

If there was any doubt about just how good Yordan Alvarez was or how integral to the Astros' postseason hopes he has been, he answered those questions emphatically on Friday night. In one of the biggest games of his career, the soft-spoken Alvarez let his play speak for him. He punctuated his ALCS performance with a 4-for-4 night in the clinching Game 6 included two doubles, a single, a triple an RBI and an important run scored on a heads-up play. But looking at what he did over the entire series — not just Game 6 — helps paint a much fuller picture. The 24-year old Cuba native had a record-setting series at the plate. He was 12 for 23 with a home run, six RBIs and a 1.408 OPS. He took home series MVP honors as a result. "Everyone knows the quality of hitters that we have. And I think more so than winning MVP, just what it means to win this game for the team is most important to me," Alvarez said through an interpreter after Houston's 5-0 victory over Boston. "So I'm super happy for the guys." Alvarez by himself outperformed the Red Sox over the final two games of the series, which was unprecedented. Don't mistake Alvarez's youth for inexperience. He was a unanimous choice for 2019 AL Rookie of the Year thanks to a stellar regular season in which he played in just 87 games. Since his debut that year, his OPS is the fifth-highest in MLB; above him are household names such as Mike Trout, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Bryce Harper. Not bad company to keep. He had an impressive postseason in 2019, too, specifically in the ALDS (.316) and World Series (.412). He missed most of the 2020 season with a knee injury but came back even better this year. He played in 144 games and posted a 3.2 WAR while hitting .277/.346 /.531 with 33 homers and 108 RBIs. Once again, that success carried into the postseason and specifically the ALCS. What led to Alvarez's record-setting performance in the series? It could be a lot of things. But the man himself will tell you it was something pretty simple. "I was just really focused. The support I got from these guys and my team means everything," he said. "I was just focused on doing the job." (Photo: MLB & Getty Images)

HOUSTON – AL batting champion Yuli Gurriel hit a winning RBI single in the ninth inning, and the AL West champion Houston Astros headed to the postseason with a 7-6 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. Gurriel hit .319 and became Houston’s second player to win a batting title after Jose Altuve in 2014, ’16 and ’17. Gurriel became the second Cuban-born big league batting champion after Tony Oliva in 1964, ’65 and 1971. “It’s something really important,” Gurriel said through a translator. “I think everybody knows it’s a big deal, and it’s tough to win a batting title, so that means a lot. I was fine either way with playing today. … It turned out that I was able to be there in the end, so it all worked out.” Gurriel, who entered in the ninth as a defensive replacement, singled to left off Lou Trivino (7-8) to score Jason Castro, who had singled starting the inning and took third on Yordan Álvarez’s one-out double. Gurriel said he wasn’t prepared to hit on Sunday and hadn’t taken a swing all day before the at bat, but he had a positive mindset to get a hit. “He didn’t sit on it,” said Houston manager Dusty Baker, who claimed he predicted to bench coach Joe Espada the previous inning that “Yuli is going to win this game. Walkoff." Astros teammate Michael Brantley went 0 for 2 and finished at .311. Houston went 95-67 and opens the Division Series at home Thursday against the Central champion Chicago White Sox. Oakland was 86-76, finishing nine games back of the Astros in third place. (Photo: Getty Images)