During a press conference this Tuesday morning at the Olof Palme Convention Center in Managua, Nicaragua, the schedule for the inaugural Series of the Americas was revealed. The event is set to occur in Nicaragua from January 24 to 30, 2025, at the Nacional Soberanía stadium in Managua, the Roberto Clemente stadium in Masaya, and the Rigoberto López Pérez stadium in León, Nicaragua. The schedule features a Round-Robin from January 24 to 28 among the six teams involved, with three matches each day at 2:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m., local time. The leading four teams will move on to the semifinals, scheduled for January 29 at 6:00 p.m. The winners of these semifinals will compete in the tournament final the next day, deciding the inaugural champion of the tournament announced this September. Cuba, represented by the reigning champions of the last National Series, Leñadores de Las Tunas, will start the tournament with an away game against Nicaragua on Friday, January 24 at 7:00 p.m. (local time). Following this, they will face Panama as a home club on January 25 at 6:00 p.m., Curacao away on January 26 at 7:00 p.m., Colombia at home on January 27 at 7:00 p.m., and conclude with an away game against Argentina on January 28 at 2:00 p.m. The Series of the Americas features champion teams from Panama, Argentina, Colombia, Curacao, Cuba, and Nicaragua, none of which have a permanent spot in the regular Caribbean Series editions. The event is offered as an alternative because these countries do not participate in the Caribbean Series, providing an opportunity to accept invitations to join the historic tournament, in compliance with the new ABAM regulations. The ABAM was introduced on September 20 and is seen by many as a reaction to the unsuccessful effort to bring back the Latin American Series via the Intercontinental Baseball Series (SIB). As per the Series of the Americas' planning, following the election of the tournament's board of directors for a three-year term, the event is assured to continue until 2027, with Panama hosting in 2026 and Colombia in 2027. For the subsequent period from 2028 to 2030, venues in Cuba, Curacao, and Argentina are anticipated to be confirmed for those editions.

The World Baseball Softball Organization (WBSC) announced today that the second edition of the Baseball Champions League of the Americas (BCL Americas) will take place in April 2025 in Mexico. The event will be hosted by the Mexican Baseball League (LMB) at the Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium, the home of the Diablos Rojos. The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (American Association) claimed victory in the first edition in 2023, while Cuba's team, Alazanes de Granma, ended up in last place among the four nations. During that event, WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari stated: "We eagerly anticipate the day we can celebrate a Champion of Champions, the winner of the worldwide Champions League." The Baseball Champions League of the Americas (BCL Americas) will hold its second edition from April 8 to 13, 2025, featuring the champion teams from the participating countries. This time, the tournament will feature an expanded lineup with six teams participating, including the hosts, the Diablos Rojos of Mexico from the LMB. Joining them will be the reigning champions from Curacao, as well as teams from Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, the United States, and Cuba, which is expected to bring the Leñadores de Las Tunas, the champions 2024 in Cuba's National Series. The Leones de Yucatán and the Mexican Baseball League (LMB) organized the first edition of the BCL Americas at the Parque Kukulcán Álamo Stadium in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, from September 28 to October 1, 2023. The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks won the four-team tournament, defeating the Caimanes de Barranquilla (LPB) in the final. The other two participants were the hosts, Leones, and the Alazanes de Granma, for Cuba. The Champions League is the first WBSC tournament involving leagues and clubs. "The Americas Champions League opens a new chapter in international baseball," said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari after the first edition. "We look forward to launching an Asian Champions League and a European Champions League. We look forward to the day when we will honour a Champion of Champions, the winner of the global Champions League."

Carlos Sarduy had a great start against Bahamas in the championship game. (Photo by Torrell Glinton) Carlos Sarduy led the Cuban U-15 team to a 1-0 win against the Bahamas by striking out twelve batters in six scoreless innings during the gold medal game of the II Caribbean Baseball Cup. The game took place on Monday night at Andre Rodgers Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas. Box score  | Play-by-Play Cuba's title in this initial participation in the U-15 Caribbean Cup marks their first, complementing the one won by the senior team in the 2023 edition of the tournament. In the afternoon, for the bronze medal, the United States Virgin Islands beat Sint Maarten 12-2. In the tournament's championship game, Cuban manager Walmer Urrutia fulfilled his promise, made just 48 hours earlier, to secure a victory against the Bahamas and bring the title to Cuba. Urrutia was confident in the performance his star pitcher Carlos Sarduy could deliver against a team like the Bahamas, which had been recognized for its promising future in Caribbean baseball and had previously defeated the Cubans 11-8 in the tournament's qualifying round. The 1.87-meter-tall young player exceeded his mentor's expectations by consistently attacking the strike zone throughout the game. Against a perplexed Bahamas team, he delivered six innings for Cuba, allowing only one hit, achieving 12 strikeouts, two walks, and a hit by pitch. Sarduy was dominant, putting at least one runner on base in the first three innings, but each time he neutralized the threat with his fastball and a sharp curveball that perplexed the opponents. He concluded the second and third innings without conceding any runs. Following his sole hit allowed in the third inning, a double to left by third baseman Marlon Bostwick, he proceeded to strike out the next two batters to end the inning. "At first I started a little bit off, but then I got better and the work came out," Sarduy told journalist Evyan Guerra after the game, adding, "The whole game was very tense, 1-0, in a game like that, anyone can score a run." With the lead already slim, the most challenging moment of the game occurred in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, he hit Bostwick on the foot and then made an error when turning to first base, allowing the runner to move to second base with the potential tying run. Nevertheless, Sarduy remained composed and, after a brief conversation with his coach, he returned to his best strategy of the night by attacking the strike zone. He ended the threat by striking out the third and fourth Bahamian batters. This was a key aspect of Cuban pitching throughout the night, as they held the first four batters in the Bahamas lineup to a 1-for-10 performance. As Sarduy performed his work, Cuba's hitters were equally stifled by the impressive performance of Bahamian/American right-hander Colton Cubbage, who maintained a scoreless game for four innings, striking out four and allowing just one hit. However, in the fifth inning, the Cubans exhibited patience and provided their starter with minimal support, which ultimately proved sufficient. In the top of the fifth inning Cubbage appeared to be performing exceptionally well, having retired thirteen of the last fourteen batters he faced, when with two outs, left fielder Marcos del Toro singled to shortstop. Right after, second baseman Damián Díaz hit a double to right field, driving in del Toro from second base and giving Cuba a crucial 1-0 lead. The Bahamas, wouldn't go any easy. In their final offensive chance during the bottom of the seventh inning, they posed their biggest threat of the game. Facing left-handed reliever Cristian Aguilera, Cubbage started the inning with a single to center field and advanced to second base following a walk to Amari Knowles. The Cuban manager wasted no time and summoned right-hander Javier Roque from the bullpen. Roque swiftly neutralized the threat, retiring the first batter he faced with a fly ball to the catcher on a failed sacrifice attempt. He then retired the eighth batter, Khayle Watkins, with a ground ball to the mound that advanced the runners, positioning the potential winning run on second base. Nevertheless, Roque dashed the Bahamas' hopes by ending his impressive relief performance with a strikeout of Javan Smith, sparking celebration on the Cuban bench. Roque secured the impressive shutout victory with his relief, marking Carlos Sarduy's second win as a starter in the tournament. Roque also earned the save for the crucial inning that clinched the title for Cuba. The performance of the Cuban pitchers maintained the trend of Cuban pitching seen throughout the tournament, particularly in the two crucial games. In these key matches, both the starting and relief pitchers excelled by preventing any runs, allowing the offense to take charge.Right-hander Lekian Acosta's relief performance in the semifinal game against the Virgin Islands, where he pitched five innings allowing four hits and striking out eight, was precise and effectively managed by the Cuban manager. Furthermore, in three out of Cuba's five tournament games, the Cuban pitchers kept the opposing team scoreless. The starting pitchers achieved 12 1/3 innings without allowing a run. Sarduy was particularly impressive, pitching ten of those innings, allowing only two hits and striking out 20 batters. Bahamas earned a well-deserved silver medal. (Photo by COPABE) In the final match, Roque once more excelled against the tournament's toughest team. Overall he pitched 3 1/3 innings against Bahamas, allowing just one hit, with three strikeouts, and securing his first save in the most important game of the tournament. “I feel very good about everything. It was an excellent performance. Bahamas is a very good team and they gave us a fight. I am happy. We beat a very good team,” said Cuban coach Heriberto Corbea after the game. Bahamas manager Albert Cartwright, also mentioned to the local media: "Both pitchers were incredible tonight. They were throwing strikes and attacking the zone. Sometimes, that's how the ball goes,” said Cartwright. “There was a battle - offensively - in the first game and we just went in the opposite direction tonight. We felt we had some opportunities. Whenever you have the opportunity to win the game in the last inning, that's all you can ask for. We just have to accept that their pitchers were very good tonight and it was difficult to match their pitches. You have to give them credit. They made the right pitches when they needed to make them.” Following the end of the game, the awards ceremony took place, during which Cuban left-hander Carlos Sarduy was chosen as the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Four additional Cuban players were named to the All-Stars in this second edition of the Caribbean Cup, featuring catcher José Muñíz, shortstop Miguel Chirino, reliever Lekian Acosta, and designated hitter Antonio Nolazco. Sarduy also earned the title of the tournament's best pitcher. Carlos Sarduy with his Most Valuable Player award. (Photo by COPABE) II U-15 Caribbean Cup Cuba's Results/Qualifying Wednesday, Dec 4 : Cuba 12, US Virgin Islands 0 (5) Box score  | Play-by-Play Thursday, Dec 5 : Cuba 13, St. Marteen 1 (5) Box score  | Play-by-Play Friday, Dec 6 : Bahamas 11, Cuba 8 Box score  | Play-by-Play Semifinal Saturday, Dec 7 : Cuba 10, US Virgin Islands 0 (5) Box score  | Play-by-Play Final Monday, Dec 9 : Cuba 1, Bahamas 0 Box score | Play-by-Play Standings/Qualifying Round Bahamas 3-0 (1.000) - RS 55, RA 9 (+46) Cuba 2-1 (1.000) - RS 33, RA 12 (+21) US Virgin Islands 1-2 (.000) - RS 18, RA 30 (-12) Sint Marteen 0-2 (.000) - RS 8, RA 63 (-55) Final Standings Cuba 4-1 (.800 ) - RS 44, RA 10 (+34) Bahamas 4-1 (.800) - RS 71, RA 11 (+60) US Virgin Islands 2-2 (.500) - RS 30, RA 42 (-12) Sint Marteen 0-4 (.000) - RS 11, RA 91 (-80)

A stellar performance by right-handed relief pitcher Lekian Acosta, combined with a strong Cuban offense that produced two significant innings, scoring five runs in each of the first two innings of the game, enabled Cuba to defeat the United States Virgin Islands for the second time in the tournament. The victory propelled them to the final of the II U-15 Caribbean Cup, held since December 4 at the Andre Rodgers Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas. Box score | Play-by-Play Cuba secured a 10-0 victory in a game decided by the mercy rule in five innings, capitalizing on four errors by the Virgin Islands defense and clucth offense in the first two innings, thereby preventing the game from reaching the standard seven innings. The spotlight was claimed by reliever Lekian Acosta, who stepped in during the first inning to replace starter Joseph Arias. Arias had loaded the bases with two walks and a hit by pitch, failing to secure the first out of the inning. Acosta entered the game just as it seemed inevitable that the Virgin Islands would score. However, he impressively stopped the opposing offense, striking out the side and starting a run of five consecutive scoreless innings. Acosta secured the victory by conceding four hits—two in the second inning, one in the third, and a triple in the fifth—but he struck out eight batters, issued no walks, and benefited from his defense, which turned double plays in both the second and third innings, enabling him to achieve the shutout. The Cubans managed just five hits, but one of them, a triple by designated hitter Marcos del Toro in the second inning with the bases loaded, set the tone for the final score. The Virgin Islands conceded significantly to the Cubans, as their two pitchers issued four walks, hit three batters, and threw a wild pitch. This, along with four defensive errors, turned out to be a disastrous combination for them in the game. Cuba is now anticipating the outcome of the second semifinal match between the Bahamas and Sint Maarten to find out who their opponent will be in the final, set for this Monday at 7:00 pm (local time). If the manager of the criollitos, Walmer Urrutia, accomplished one goal, it was preserving his two key pitchers for the final: left-handers Carlos Sarduy and José Arias, who secured victories in Cuba's first two games of the tournament. In the Caribbean Cup qualifying round, the Bahamas made international baseball history by decisively defeating Cuba 11-8 this Friday. Both teams are anticipated to vie for the tournament's gold medal in a highly anticipated showdown. II U-15 Caribbean Cup Cuba Results/Qualifying Wednesday, Dec 4 : Cuba 12, US Virgin Islands 0 (5) Box score  | Play-by-Play Thursday, Dec 5 : Cuba 13, St. Marteen 1 (5) Box score  | Play-by-Play Friday, Dec 6 : Bahamas 11, Cuba 8 Box score  | Play-by-Play Semifinal Saturday, Dec 7 : Cuba 10, US Virgin Islands 0 (5) Box score  | Play-by-Play Standings/Qualifying Bahamas 3-0 (1.000) - RS 55, RA 9 Cuba 2-1 (1.000) - RS 33, RA 12 US Virgin Islands 1-2 (.000) - RS 18, RA 30 Sint Marteen 0-2 (.000) - RS 8, RA 63

Similar to their performance on the opening day, Cuba (2-0) comfortably defeated Sint Maarten (0-2) with a score of 13-1 in four and a half innings, marking their second win in as many games in the II Caribbean Cup Under-15, which began yesterday at the Andre Rodgers Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas. Box score | Play-by-Play In the second match of the day, the Bahamas (1-0) will face the US Virgin Islands (0-1) during the qualification round, which ends this Friday and will establish the positions for Saturday's cross-over semifinal. This time, Cuba utilized the combined pitching efforts of left-handed starter José L. Arias and right-handers Joseph Arias and Lekian Acosta to restrict Sint Maarten to two hits and their first run of the tournament over five innings. José Luis started the game for Cuba, and after they secured a 6-0 lead in the third inning, he was replaced by reliever Joseph Arias. The Cuban manager is now evaluating potential scenarios with the revised schedule due to the Dominican Republic's exit from the tournament, considering the possibility of needing the Cuban starter in future games. José Luis delivered another impressive performance for the Criollitos, pitching 2 1/3 innings with 34 pitches, 18 of which were strikes. He didn't allow a hit, issued one walk, and recorded five strikeouts. He was quickly backed up by an offense that placed four runs in the first inning and another two in the second, all against Sint Marteen's right-handed starter, Rigadon Raap, and his first reliever, Jaytan Cordilla. In the first inning, with two outs, Cristian Aguilera walked, stole second, and José Muñíz hit an RBI single to give Cuba the initial lead. Soon after, another steal, a walk, a wild pitch, and Antonio Nolazco's double down the left field line extended the lead to 3-0. Nolazco later scored the inning's fourth run after advancing to second on Sint Maarten's starter's second wild pitch and José Jiménez's RBI single to right. In the following inning, the score increased to 6-0 against the first reliever, Cordilla, due to a walk, an RBI triple to left by Damián de Jesús Díaz, and another wild pitch by the reliever. Sint Maarten had their first chance to score in the top of the third inning when the Cuban starting pitcher walked the seventh batter, Jahmai Pérez. After striking out the subsequent batter, Jaynard Hodge, the Cuban manager decided to remove him from the game. In this scenario, reliever Joseph Arias managed to escape the inning, but not before putting a runner in scoring position by walking the leadoff hitter, Jaytan Cordilla. He ended the inning by getting Rigadon Raap to fly out to right field. Cuba capitalized on the bottom of the inning to put the game nearly out of reach for Sint Marteen. During this inning, Sint Maarten's pitching faltered, issuing five walks, four of them consecutively at the beginning of the inning, which led to a 7-0 score. A single by Nolazco, combined with a throwing error by the shortstop to first, extended the lead to 9-0. The inning's final two runs came from a double by Yohan Acosta, which drove in one, and a grounder to shortstop by Rafael Tarín, bringing in the second. In the fourth inning Sint Marteen would pose his greatest threat so far in the game, when the first Cuban reliever faced problems with his control and gave away two walks that, combined with Sint Marteen's first hit in the game, this one by the fourth hitter Yaedon Martie to center, loaded the bases with just one out. However, Arias kept his cool and finished with strikeouts on Pérez and pinch hitter Jorvy Castillo, to keep the score the same. After Cuba extended its lead to 13-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Sint Maarten finally got on the scoreboard in their last offensive opportunity during the fifth inning against Cuba's new reliever, right-hander Lekian Acosta. In that inning, Cordilla walked, stole a base, and Rigadon Raap singled through shortstop, putting runners on the corners. Martie then grounded out to third, allowing Cordilla to score and setting the final score at 13-1. Acosta issued another walk in the inning before getting Malik Hyman to ground out to third for the game's final out. Cuba is now 2-0, and it is almost certain that an undefeated matchup will occur this Friday night when they face the host team, the Bahamas. The Bahamas still have to face the US Virgin Islands in tonight's game, but they demonstrated superiority over Sint Maarten on Wednesday and are favored against their current opponents. II Caribbean Cup U-15 Cuba' Results Wednesday, Dec 4 : Cuba 12, US Virgin Islands (5) Box score | Play-by-Play Thursday, Dec 5 : Cuba 13, St. Marteen 1 (5) Box score | Play-by-Play Standings Cuba 2-0 (1.000) - RS 25, RA 1 Bahamas 1-0 (1.000) - RS 33, RA 0 US Virgin Islands 0-1 (.000) - RS 0, RA 12 Sint Marteen 0-2 (.000) - RS 1, RA46

The Bahamas U-15 baseball team overcame a five-run deficit to beat Cuba 11-8 on Friday night and maintain their undefeated record in the II Caribbean Cup of this category, which has been taking place since December 4 at the Andre Rodgers Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas. Box score  | Play-by-Play Cuba jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning against right-hander Liam Eneas, in an inning where the team got five hits, including one by Jose Muniz that drove in the first two runs. The inning saw another RBI single by Antonio Nolazco that made it 3-0 and a third hit by Yoan Acosta that added two more runs, giving Cuban starter Jorge Tur a comfortable margin for victory. However, after a comfortable first inning, Tur began to falter in the bottom of the second inning, complicated by an error of his own that left runners on the corners with no outs. After a steal and a strikeout, Tur loaded the bases with a walk to right fielder and seventh in the batting order, Khayle Watkins, only for the defense to fail again with a grounder by Javan Smith to second base, which allowed two more runs to come in. One batter later, Bahamas cut the difference to 5-3, when Jordan Archer hit a double to left that drove in the third run of the inning. The inning could have been longer after a hit by pitch that again brought a runner into scoring position, but Tur ended the threat by forcing Malique Israel to hit into a double play. However, the decisive moment came just one inning later. In the bottom of the third inning, the Bahamas scored an impressive eight runs, fueled by nine hits against the Cuban starter and the first reliever, Joseph Arias, who endured seven of those hits from the Bahamian offense. During this inning, the home team sent 14 batters to the plate and, along with the nine hits, earned two walks. The Cubans attempted a comeback, scoring a run in the fourth inning off Eneas, with Muñiz contributing his second hit of the game. Muñiz also drove in Cuba's final two runs in the sixth inning against the first reliever, right-hander Malik Williams, with a hit to left field. This solidified the performance of the Cuban catcher, who was undoubtedly the island's top hitter of the night, going 3-for-4 with 5 RBIs. Despite Cuba's third reliever, right-hander Javier Roque, holding the Bahamas scoreless and allowing just one hit over 2 1/3 innings, the Cuban offense was insufficient to overturn the score. The team was clearly impacted by the four unearned runs given up by the Cuban starter. With their win, the Bahamas (3-0) emerged as the sole undefeated team in the tournament, clinching first place in the qualifying stage. This Saturday, the Bahamians will compete against fourth-place St. Marteen (0-3), who suffered a 17-7 defeat to the US Virgin Islands earlier in the day, in the second semifinal match scheduled for 7:00 pm (local time). Saturday starting at 2:00 pm, second-place Cuba (2-1) will face third-place US Virgin Islands (1-2), in the first match of the tournament semifinals. The following day will be a standard rest day, with the tournament medals being decided on Monday, December 9. At the same times, the bronze medal (2:00 pm) and gold medal (7:00 pm) matches will take place, featuring the losers and winners from this Saturday, respectively. II Caribbean Cup U-15 Cuba results Wednesday, Dec 4 : Cuba 12, US Virgin Islands 0 (5) Box score  | Play-by-Play Thursday, Dec 5 : Cuba 13, St. Marteen 1 (5) Box score  | Play-by-Play Friday, Dec 6 : Bahamas 11, Cuba 8 Box score  | Play-by-Play Standings Bahamas 3-0 (1.000) - RS 55, RA 9 Cuba 2-1 (1.000) - RS 33, RA 12 US Virgin Islands 1-2 (.000) - RS 18, RA 30 Sint Marteen 0-2 (.000) - RS 8, RA 63

The confirmed absence of the Dominican Republic team from the II Caribbean Cup U-15 baseball in Nassau, Bahamas, was announced on Thursday. During an extraordinary COPABE meeting this morning, the schedule was adjusted to prevent holding two qualifying rounds, ensuring the tournament concludes on the originally planned date of December 9. For this reason, the updated schedule features the following games: December 5 2 pm, Cuba vs. Sint Maarten 7 pm, Bahamas vs. US Virgin Islands December 6 2 pm, Sint Maarten vs. US Virgin Islands 7 pm, Cuba vs. Bahamas December 7 Semifinals 4 vs. 1 and 3 vs. 2 December 8 Day of rest December 9 2 pm, Bronze Game (Among the losers of December 7) 7 pm, Gold Game (Among the winners of December 7) The tournament commenced this Wednesday, even though the Dominican Republic was absent due to issues with their players' airline tickets. Cuba achieved a 12-0 victory over the US Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas defeated Sint Maarten 33-0. The inaugural U-15 Caribbean Baseball Cup took place in 2022 in Santo Domingo, where the host team, the Dominican Republic, emerged victorious.

Because of a required change in the tournament schedule, as the Dominican Republic delegation was late for the tournament's start, Cuba played against the United States Virgin Islands this Wednesday in the opening match of the U-15 Caribbean Cup. This event started today and will continue until December 9 at the Andre Rodgers Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas. Box score | Play-by-Play Following the opening ceremony at 7:00 pm, the Bahamas and Sint Maarten are set to compete at 7:30 pm in the day's second match. Cuba is scheduled to play against Sint Maarten this Thursday, with the game taking place at 2:00 pm local time. In a game that was unexpectedly concluded by the umpires' decision after four and a third innings, where it appeared the Virgin Islands team fielded an ineligible player, the Cubans' debut couldn't have been simpler, securing a 12-0 win. The win was underscored by the flawless performance of left-handed starter Carlos Sarduy, combined with the Virgin Islands' weak defense and Cuba's timely offense in the third and fourth innings of the match. The Cubans showcased an outstanding performance by Sarduy, who pitched four innings, delivering 49 pitches and allowing just one hit while striking out eight batters without issuing any walks. Sarduy, highlighted by Cuban manager Walmer Urrutia as one of the island's most promising prospects, impressed the small crowd at the stadium, including scouts, by facing the minimum number of batters. He consistently started with strikes against seven of the 12 batters in a commanding performance, heavily relying on his curveball to bewilder his opponents. Cuba's offensive breakthrough occurred after two unsuccessful chances with a runner in scoring position during the first two innings against left-handed starter Anerai Mason. In the third inning, the Cubans strung together three hits, two walks, and capitalized on three errors to score six runs, which proved sufficient for victory. In the following inning, the Cubans increased their lead by scoring five more runs. They achieved this by combining a walk, an error, and three hits against the Virgin Islands' first reliever, right-hander Ricardo Garcia. Cuba's final run occurred in the top of the fifth inning against the Virgin Islands' third relief pitcher, left-hander D'Yomjae Aubain. This run resulted from a single, a walk, and another defensive error, all shortly before the umpires called the game with only one out in the inning. This Thursday, COPABE will reveal the revised tournament schedule following adjustments for the anticipated arrival of the Dominican Republic. Should the Caribbean team fail to arrive, the tournament will proceed with two rounds, culminating in a final between the top two teams.

The second edition of the U-15 Caribbean Baseball Cup, organized by the Caribbean Baseball Confederation (COCABE) and the Bahamas Baseball Association, is scheduled to take place in Nassau, Bahamas from December 4-9. The Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium in Nassau will be the venue for this tournament, featuring teams from Cuba—who have finally confirmed their participation and are already in the host country after initially facing participation issues—Dominican Republic, United States Virgin Islands, Sint Maarten, and the host country, Bahamas. This tournament undoubtedly offers a platform for many talents in this category to compete at a high level and gain international exposure, especially with the expected presence of several scouts from various MLB organizations. The timetable features a round-robin stage from December 4 to 8, with two games daily. The top two teams will vie for the championship, while the teams in third and fourth place will face off in the bronze medal match. Although the schedule shows the official opening at 6:00 pm today, local time, just thirty minutes before the match between the home team and Sint Maarten, the Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic teams will play the tournament's first game at two in the afternoon. Cuba will not play on this initial date. The Cubans' schedule will start on Thursday at 2:00 pm, when they will compete against the Virgin Islands. For this match, left-hander Carlos Sarduy is confirmed as the starting pitcher. Starting from that moment, the schedule features games against the Dominican Republic on Friday at 6:00 pm, against Sint Maarten on Saturday at 2:00 pm, and concludes on Sunday, December 8 against the Bahamas at 6:00 pm. The Cuban team comes with the goal of winning the title, as stated by its manager Walmer Urrutia to sports commentator Evyan Guerra, vice president of the COPABE press commission. Similar to other categories, the Cubans have experienced a decline in their level, largely due to the ongoing migration of players, including those at very young ages. An instance of this is seen in the U-15 category, where after securing the runner-up position in the 2022 world championship—losing 4-3 in the final against the United States—the team did not qualify for the 2024 world edition, finishing seventh in the Pan American qualifier last March. The first edition of the U-15 Caribbean Cup was held in 2022 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, with the presence of the teams from Haiti, the US Virgin Islands and the home team. Precisely the Dominican Republic took the title, after two round-robin rounds in which it finished undefeated (4-0) against its rivals. In summary, the Cuban team's roster was assembled last Monday, with a focus on the strength of its pitching, as Urrutia himself noted. TEAM CUBA TO THE U-15 CARIBBEAN CUP P itchers (5) : Lekian Acosta, Jorge M. Tur, Carlos G. Sarduy, José A. Arias and Joseph L. Arias Catchers (2) : Yoán M. Acosta and José Y. Muñíz Infielders (6) : Javier R. Roque, Cristian M. González, Miguel A. Chirino, Antonio A. Nolazco, Hanley M. Hernández and Damián de Jesús Díaz Outfielders (5) : Lexter J. Castillo, Marcos del Toro, Cristian A. Aguilera, José A. Jiménez and Rafael A. Tarín

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has published the newest update to the WBSC/KONAMI Men’s Baseball World Rankings. This update follows the end of the WBSC Premier12 2024 global tournament, sponsored by RAXUS, which wrapped up last weekend in Tokyo with an impressive finale, as Chinese Taipei defeated Japan 4-0 in the final match. Chinese Taipei, ranked World No. 2, solidified its exclusive hold on the second spot, previously shared with Mexico at 4,118 points, and narrowed the distance to No. 1 Japan. Meanwhile, Venezuela reached No. 3 and Panama climbed to No. 8, marking their highest historical rankings. A total of 84 countries are listed in the latest WBSC/KONAMI Men’s Baseball World Rankings, just shy of the record 85 countries in 2021. This includes newcomers No. 57 Saint Maarten and No. 80 Cambodia, as well as the return of No. 70 Indonesia and No. 77 Malaysia, who rejoin the rankings after a decade. In the East Asia Cup, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia secured fifth, sixth, and seventh places respectively, while Saint Maarten achieved fourth place in the VI Caribbean Baseball Cup 2024. Announcing a new format and an expanded roster of 16 teams for the IV WBSC Premier12, including two qualifiers in 2026 and participation from the world's top 20 teams, this ranking release signifies the beginning of the journey towards the upcoming Global Baseball Battle. The top 12 teams in the WBSC/Konami Men's Baseball World Rankings at the conclusion of 2025 will earn direct qualification for the 2027 Group Stage. Meanwhile, teams ranked 13th to 18th, along with two Wild Cards, will compete in the Premier12 Qualifiers to decide the remaining four participants in the Group Stage. Cuba, following a lackluster performance in Group B of the 2024 tournament, where it ended up at the bottom of the group with a 1-4 record, also secured 11th place overall in the tournament, marking its worst historical position, and as a result, fell two spots in the world rankings. The drop marks the worst position (10th) for the island's roster since the incorporation of the rankings system into the WBSC calendar on December 31, 2012, when Cuba made its debut in first place. The new ranking position equals Cuba's own 10th place on August 11, 2021. The race to end 2025 within the top 12 will become more competitive as automatic qualification for the Premier12 is in progress. The Dominican Republic, ranked 11th, and Australia, ranked 12th, have re-entered the top 12, climbing one and three positions, respectively. Colombia, in 13th place, is only 35 points shy of securing an automatic spot, whereas Italy, in 14th place, trails Australia by 262 points, and the Czech Republic is 446 points behind the 12th position. With five teams divided by only 78 points, the competition for 20th place will be intense over the coming year, deciding which teams will move on to the two qualifiers in 2026. At present, China holds the 20th spot with 900 points, closely trailed by France at 21st with 888 points, Canada at 22nd with 856 points, Brazil at 23rd with 830 points, and Spain at 24th with 822 points. In 2025, two WBSC tournaments, the U12 and U18 World Cups, are planned. Additionally, events like the Caribbean Cup and the newly announced Copa America, featuring the top 12 teams from the Americas, will also influence the world rankings.

TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan - Defending champion Japan secured its spot in the four-team Super Round of the WBSC Premier12 presented by RAXUS at Taipei City’s Tianmu Stadium on Sunday night with a hard-fought 7-6 victory over Cuba. The win, at a rain-soaked Tianmu Stadium, improved Japan’s record in Group B qualifying round to 4-0 and eliminated Cuba (1-3) from any chance of advancing with one match remaining in the group stage for both teams. Box score The Cubans were trailing 5-1 in the sixth inning, but they rallied to even the score at six in the following inning. In the ninth inning, they had a chance to win the game when they loaded the bases against closer Shoma Fujihira with only one out. However, Fujihira ended the Cuban effort by striking out Yoán Moncada and Andy Cosme. It was one of those games that you won't forget. It was perhaps the rain that made it closer or it was the teams, who fought like we hadn't seen in a long time to give a good show to the fans present at Tianmu. Regarding the rain and its impact on the game, Japan's coach, Hirokazu Ibata, avoided giving credit to it regarding how hard the game was for his team. "The playing conditions were the same for both teams," he said through an interpreter. "The rain doesn't change anything. With or without rain, we still want our players to go out on the field and play hard." That's exactly what the defending champions accomplished. Facing the inexperienced Cuban right-hander Raymond Figueredo, Japan gained a narrow lead in the bottom of the second inning, with Keita Sano hitting a single that allowed Shota Morishita to score from third. In the third inning, Japan increased their lead. Masayuki Kuwahara started the inning with a single, followed by Kaito Kuzono's single to right field. Figueredo walked Ryosuke Tatsumi, loading the bases, prompting Cuba to turn to their bullpen. They called in right-hander Yusniel Padrón to face cleanup hitter Shota Morishita. However, Padrón couldn't stop another run as Morishita's pop-out to center field made it 2-0. The situation for Cuba could have been more dire, but left-hander Geonel Gutiérrez managed consecutive strikeouts against left-handed Ryoya Kurihara and right-handed Shugo Maki, minimizing the damage. Cuba's first hit against left-handed starter Takahisa Hayakawa occurred in the third inning, courtesy of Roberto Baldoquín who led off the inning. However, Hayakawa swiftly struck out Andrys Pérez and induced Jean H. Walters to ground into a double play. In the next inning, Cuba narrowed the gap. Roel Santos began the inning by hitting a triple off the center field wall on the third pitch he faced and scored shortly after when Yadir Drake singled to left. A walk to Alfredo Despaigne advanced Drake to second base with the potential tying run, but Hayakawa struck out Ariel Martínez and Erisbel Arruebarrena to end the inning. Two singles and a sacrifice fly to left by Toshiya Sato gave Japan a two-run lead again, thanks to shortstop Susuke Genda's speed in the bottom of the fourth. Japan extended their lead in the fifth inning when Ryosuke Tatsumi reached base with an infield hit, forcing reliever Geonel Gutiérrez out of the game. Although right-hander Frank L. Medina got Morishita to ground out and intentionally walked Kurihara, he couldn't stop first baseman Shugo Maki's single, which made the score 4-1. Young left-hander Darío Sarduy came in to relieve him, but walked Genda, and despite getting designated hitter Keita Sano to fly out to center with excellent fielding by Roel Santos, he couldn't stop Japan from scoring their fifth run. It seemed that the game was going smoothly for Japan, but the best was yet to come. In the sixth inning, Cuba initiated a comeback by scoring three runs. Santos walked to lead off the inning, and Drake drove in his fifth run of the tournament with a double to left. Hayakawa struck out the struggling Yoelkis Guibert but then walked Alfredo Despaigne, leading to his swift replacement by Rikuto Yokohama. Nonetheless, shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena, who had been one of Cuba's less productive players in the tournament, responded by hitting a single to left-center, altering the score to 5-3. Yoán Moncada was then brought in as a pinch hitter and hit a single to right field on the first pitch he saw, narrowing the game to 5-4 and leaving Arruebarrena at second base with the potential tying run. Yokoyama issued a walk to Yadil Mujica, loading the bases, prompting Japan's manager to bring in left-hander Shota Suzuki to face the young Jean H. Walters, and halted the Cuban rally with a strikeout. This was one of two instances where Cuba left the bases loaded during the game. When questioned about the primary reason for the loss, the Cuban manager refrained from pinpointing a specific cause, stating, "I don't believe it was any particular play. However, it's true that we missed preventing a few runs due to a lack of precision at certain moments in the game, but I don't want to specify anything. You watched the game." In the bottom of the sixth inning, Japan regained a two-run lead when the Cuban manager brought in Liván Moinelo as a relief pitcher, as he had promised after the victory against Australia in the event of a close game. However, Moinelo, who had been dealing with a stomach issue all week—despite the Cuban manager's claims that Moinelo had the flu—did not display his usual command. He walked Masayuki Kuwahara and allowed a single to Kaito Kosono. A fly ball to center advanced Kuwahara to third, but Moinelo then loaded the bases hitting Shota Morishita and walking Ryoya Kurihara, giving Japan a 6-4 lead. In the seventh inning, Cuba managed to secure a thrilling tie. Santos and Drake got on base at the start of the inning with a walk and a single, respectively. After Guibert's out — was 0-for-5 with two strikeouts in the game — right-hander Tatsuya Shimizu was brought in to pitch against Despaigne. Despite Shimizu inducing weak contact from Despaigne, he made a throwing error to first base, allowing both runners to score to tie the game. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Japan secured their victory against Moinelo, who was putting in a significant effort. Arruebarrena's fielding error allowed Kosono to reach first base, with Ryota Isobata coming in as a pinch runner. Moinelo then hit Ryosuke Tatsume, adding to the complications. Morishita's groundout advanced Isobata to third base, and he scored shortly after on Kurihara's sacrifice fly to left field. "I was really afraid the ball was foul," Kurihara said at the postgame press conference. "I relaxed when I saw the ball was in good territory and I saw Isobata score the go-ahead run from third. It was a very intense game and we fought hard for the win. I'm excited to have driven in the decisive run." To add to the excitement at the end, Cuba loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning against closer Shoma Fujihira. With one out, Despaigne and Ariel Martínez singled, Arruebarrena was hit by a pitch that loaded the bases, but Fujihira showed his class, striking out Moncada and Andy Cosme. The loss eliminated Cuba from any opportunity to progress to the Super Round, with Japan and Chinese Taipei - who beat Australia 11-3 - advancing as the first and second teams, respectively, in Group B. On Monday, Japan has the opportunity to remain unbeaten as it takes on the Dominican Republic at Tianmu Stadium. Meanwhile, Cuba will play against Chinese Taipei at the Taipei Dome at 6:30 p.m. (local time), 5:30 a.m. in Cuba and the Eastern US. CUBA - JAPAN - Highlights

TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan - In front of a crowd of 30,924, Chinese Taipei put recent international losses to Cuba behind them to win by shutout 2-0 in Group B of the WBSC Premier12 presented by RAXUS at the Taipei Dome in Taipei City on Monday night. The victory left Chinese Taipei with a 4-1 record in Group B, preceded only by a team Japan that left no doubts about its favoritism, by disposing of the Dominican Republic 11-3 at Tianmu Stadium and with a 5-0 record, it is the only undefeated team of the four that advanced to the Super Round, to be played between November 21 and 23 at the Tokyo Dome in Bunkyo City in Tokyo. Box score With a 1-4 record, Cuba is tied with Australia and the Dominican Republic, but due to the tiebreaker coefficient, the Cubans ended up last in Group B. The Premier12 editions represent the worst international performance in the history of Cuba's team, with an overall record of 5-9 across all tournaments and a sixth-place finish in 2015 as their best result. In the day's other match, South Korea beat Australia 5-2, securing third place with a 3-2 record. This was a disappointing showing for the 2015 champions and 2019 finalists. Nonetheless, Korean coach Joong-Il-Ryu, who apologized to the Korean fans who traveled to Taipei to support the team, views the outcome as part of the team's renewal process. This renewal aims to restore their elite status for the 2026 World Classic and the 2028 Olympic tournament in Los Angeles. The game On this occasion, Cuban manager Armando Johnson selected left-hander Yoannis Yera to start. Once again, Yera delivered a solid performance before an enthusiastic crowd and a skilled home team. Although he may not have been as outstanding as in his initial start against the Dominican Republic, Yera managed to pitch four innings, throwing 80 pitches and allowing only two runs despite the high pressure and challenging environment. He encountered difficulties starting in the third inning when Taipei scored its first run. Yera allowed just one base runner in the second inning due to a full-count single by catcher Dai Pei-Fong. However, in the third inning, after striking out the eighth hitter Lin Chia-Cheng, Yera walked Yueh Tung-Hua. Following the second out, a double by Giljegiljaw Kungkuan brought Lin to the plate with the, at then end, decisive run of the game. One inning later, another walk sparked trouble for the Cuban starter. Yera walked Tseng Song-En to start the inning, followed by consecutive singles from Pan Chieh-Kai and Dai Pei-Fong, which loaded the bases. Chang Cheng-Yu hit a grounder through second base, forcing out the runner from second, but shortstop Arruebarena couldn't complete the double play at first, allowing Tseng to score from third, making it 2-0 on a fielder's choice. The inning could have been more productive for the home team, but Yera managed to retire Lin Chia-Cheng with a foul pop-up to third base and struck out Yueh Tung-Hua. Cuba didn't have many offensive opportunities, but Chinese Taipei also fought back with all its might against the Cuban team. “In a low-scoring game like this, defense and pitching are key,” Taipei coach Tseng Hao-Jiu said during the press conference. “The center fielder's throw to the catcher in the fifth inning, which eventually caused Dai to retire Arruebarrena at home plate, was one of the best examples.” And this was indeed Cuba's clearest chance to score in the game. With one out, Arruebarrena doubled down the left field line and when Andrys Pérez singled to center, Chiu Chih-Cheng's throw landed precisely on the catcher's mascot and although the play was initially called safe, video review confirmed the out, keeping the score the same, 2-0. Cuba managed another single in the sixth inning by Roel Santos to left field, but it was the final one of the four hits the team achieved throughout the game. This was against a sequence of seven relievers who, following Santos' single, performed flawlessly by retiring the final 11 Cuban batters, with two strikeouts in the ninth inning. “Chinese Taipei's pitchers threw a great game,” Cuban manager Armando Johnson told the press after the game. “Congratulations to Japan and Chinese Taipei for advancing to the Super Round.” Johnson briefly commented on the Cuban team's performance, stating, “Despite the disappointing results, in last night's game against Japan, I saw the old Cuban team I know. I am pleased to have witnessed my players giving their all, both on and off the field.” He added, “As long as they give their best, I hold no blame against them.” Indeed, the Cuban team aimed to be among the top four in these Premier12 editions for the first time. However, a disappointing start with defeats against the Dominican Republic and South Korea, where the offense managed just two runs in the first 16 innings of the tournament, completely altered the team's prospects. Adding to this are the injuries to two of the team's stars: starting pitcher Liván Moinelo and third baseman Yoán Moncada. Moinelo was affected by the flu and a stomach ailment throughout the week, which hindered his performance, resulting in two of Cuba’s four losses. Meanwhile, Moncada missed part of the game against South Korea after a ball struck his right hand, sidelining him and preventing him from playing regularly in the matches against Australia and Japan. Thus, it can be said that the tournament was not an ideal scenario for mentor Johnson. With this victory, Chinese Taipei will join Japan in Tokyo to compete against the two qualifiers from Group A, the United States and Venezuela, in the Super Round, beginning on Thursday. Three days afterward, the top two teams from the Super Round will vie for the tournament title, while the other two will contend for the bronze medal. CUBA - CHINESE TAIPEI - Highlights