Sources tell the Cuban Baseball Digest that Dairon Blanco will be activated by the Estrellas Orientales of the LIDOM tomorrow. The outfielder who reported to the team on Sunday looks like he is ready to begin his season with the squad from San Pedro de Macoris.
Blanco played with Ponce in the Puerto Rican Winter League hitting .301 and swiping a record 25 bases. He also was a key figure in Licey’s LIDOM title run hitting over .400 in circuit championship series. The big leaguer will likely hit leadoff for the team on Thursday.
In the LBPN Robert Roilan Portuondo will make his winter league debut against the Leones de León for the Gigantes de Rivas. Portuondo saw action in this season in the Baseball Challenge League in Japan. The Cuban posted a 3.10 ERA and fanned 61 batters on the season. Equipped with a 95-mph fastball the flamethrower is an interesting prospect.
Fuentes: El @EOBASEBALLCLUB activará al jardinero Dairon Blanco mañana para su juego ante @EscogidoBBClub .#LIDOM #pelotacubana pic.twitter.com/bYJSw5ltnG
— Yusseff305 🇨🇺🇺🇲 (@yusseff305) November 8, 2023
Portuondo also sported a shiny 6-3 record on the campaign. The 24 year old has all the ability to make an impact in the Nicaraguan Winter League, all he has to do is exhibit his immense talent on the mound. If he does that everything else should fall into place.
Also in LBPN, right-hander Yoanner Negrín was named the pitcher of the week in the circuit after tossing 5 ⅔ innings of shutout ball in León ‘s 2-0 Opening Day win over El Tren del Norte at the Héroes y Mártires de Septiembre Stadium in the city of León. The hurler also fanned six
Negrín pitched this summer with the Leones de Yucatán of the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol posting a 6-6 record and a 7.01 earned run average. The native of Matanzas,Cuba has a dearth of Caribbean League experience and looks to be the team’s ace this winter.
Está noche el derecho @PortuondoHj tomará el montículo por primera vez en una liga invernal por los @GigantesRivas ante los @LeoneslbpnO .#pelotacubana #LBPN pic.twitter.com/FErk3IiOnr
— Yusseff305 🇨🇺🇺🇲 (@yusseff305) November 8, 2023