After the news that broke earlier today that Ernesto Martínez Jr would not play for Cuba in the upcoming World Baseball Classic another key component of the team decided to skip the tournament, Victor Labrada.
Labrada has also been added to the list of players withdrawn from the World Baseball Classic. The Havana native, who belongs to the Seattle Mariners, was invited to Spring Training by his organization and will prioritize attending it before the WBC with Cuba.
Labrada joins a significant list of players who were going to be with Cuba but will no longer be. Eight other players will also be absent: Yunior Tur, Daysbel Hernández, Lázaro Estrada, Jorge Marcheco, Rafael Sánchez, Andy Ibáñez, Andy Pagés, and Ernesto Martínez Jr.
All nine have one thing in common: they belong to Major League Baseball organizations and have prioritized participating in Spring Training. These are nine significant losses for Cuba’s aspirations in this event.
Martínez himself decided to focus on winning a spot on the Yankees’ roster this Spring Training. The infielder-outfielder has been working this offseason with Fernando Tatis Sr in the Dominican Republic in preparation for the upcoming season.
What a Cuban team looks like now for the World Baseball Classic:
Lineup:
Roel Santos CF (Olmecas de Tabasco)
Yoelkis Guibert LF (Senadores de Caracas)
Yoán Moncada 3B (Los Angeles Angels)
Yoel Yanqui 1B (Marineros de Carabobo)
Ariel Martínez DH (Nippon Ham Fighters)
Yiddi Cappé 2B (Miami Marlins)
Yurisbel Gracial OF (Conspiradores de Querétaro)
Omar Hernández C (Kansas City Royals)
Alexander Vargas SS (Cincinnati Reds)
Rotation:
Liván Moinelo LHP (SoftBank Hawks)
Brander Guevara RHP (Cazadores de Artemisa)
José Ramón Rodríguez RHP (Caribes de Anzoategui)
Pavel Hernández RHP (Industriales de La Habana)
Bench:
Christian Rodríguez IF (Chunichi Dragons)
Andrys Pérez C (Cocodrilos de Matanzas)
Luis Mateo UT ( Elefantes de Cienfuegos)
Raidel Sánchez OF (Avispas de Santiago)
Bullpen:
Raidel Martínez RHP (Yomiuri Giants)
Darién Núñez LHP (Algodoneros de Unión Laguna)
Dario Sarduy LHP (SoftBank Hawks)
Robert Roilan Portuondo RHP (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Emmanuel Chapman RHP (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Pedro Santos RHP (Free Agent)
Denny Larrondo RHP (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Daviel Hurtado LHP (New York Mets)
Julio Robaina LHP (Algodoneros de Unión Laguna)
Randy Martínez LHP (Chunichi Dragons)
Osiel Rodríguez RHP (Bravos de León)
Josimar Cousin RHP (Indios de Mayagüez)
Yariel Rodríguez RHP (Toronto Bluejays)