During the 63 National Series Angel Ortega returned to the Alazanes de Granma as their manager and in the first Pre-selection said Yoenis Céspedes was joining the squad. Ortega claimed to have spoken to Céspedes about playing,, but in the end the former Major League player declined to participate.
“Well, we were contact before the beginning of the last National Series, but he then declined to participate and we respect his decision. The day he wants to join our team he is more than welcome, said Ortega to the Cuban press. “He is not even in Cuba right now, but we have a very good relationship with him and excellent communication, but no, for now we have not had any conversation about him playing this season.”
Granma finished in third place in the tournament and starting next March they will be participating in the Third Edition of the Cuban Liga Élite. Céspedes has participated in a couple of World Classics, including the fifth edition held in 2023, but he has not played in a Cuban tournament since he participated in the 50th Serie Nacional (2010-11), a year in which he smacked 51 extra-base hits (18 (2B)-1 (3B)-33HR) in the regular phase and five in the postseason (3 (2B) and 2HR).
The two-time champion of the Home Run Derby in MLB committed from the beginning with the Cuban team in the 2023 World Classic, but he was not the same as before, he looked a shell of himself in his preparation for the tournament in the LIDOM. The slugger debuted in MLB during 2012 season with the Athletics and over the course of his career as a major leaguer (until 2020) he also played with the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and finally the New York Mets (2015-2020).
Céspedes played in a total of 834 games in the Majors, slashing .273/.327/.497/.824, with 870 hits in 3,191 at-bats, 173 doubles, 24 triples, 165 homers and 528 RBIs. In his first five campaigns in the Big Show he hit more than 20 home runs, standing out in 2015 and 2016 with 35 and 32 respectively. He won the Gold Glove in 2015 and a Silver Slugger in 2016. In 2012 he finished second in the race for the American League Rookie of the Year and participated in two All-Star games. He has 342 homeruns between MLB and Cuban National Series.