#cuban-catchers

#cuban-catchers

I think it was good. Came up, obviously a young guy, didn't really know what to expect. Obviously struggled at the start. Being in a new clubhouse, being around guys who had show time, kind of everything, playing against better competition. I think just getting up here, getting my feet wet, it made the transition coming into this year super easy, just because I'm pretty comfortable.

Only two Marlins players have more than 1,000 games played with the club. Arizona and Tampa each have three. Colorado has nine. Furthermore, the games played leaders for each of those three clubs? True MLB stars, each with at least 300 career home runs, with multiple honors, awards, and seasons spent being counted among some of the games best.

Pages explained to the Cuban outlet why he ultimately chose not to suit up for his home country. "I have a lot of things to improve, and I need to prepare for a long season," Pages said. "I have to focus on what's most important." Pages was on Cuba's preliminary roster and showed interest; however, he decided to switch to focus on his game and grow with the Dodgers.

"I wasn't moving the way I know I can move," Hernández said. The groin injury he dealt with last year never really felt right. So he spent some time in the Dominican Republic this offseason. He cleaned up his diet. That, along with the sweat-inducing humidity of a Caribbean winter, helped him drop 10 pounds back to his usual 204.

The catcher began his journey through the minor leagues with the Dodgers, who signed him out of Venezuela in 2019. Valladares was one of a few Venezuelan catching prospects in the Dodgers' system alongside Diego Cartaya and Keibert Ruiz. Both Cartaya and Ruiz eventually left the Dodgers via trade, but Valladares remained with the Dodgers and trudged his way through L.A.'s farm system.

Relief pitcher Daniel Palencia will pitch for Team Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, his agency announced Tuesday. Palencia had an interesting year with the Cubs. He recorded 22 saves during the regular season, but his usage changed drastically in the playoffs. Instead of remaining in the bullpen until the ninth inning, Craig Counsell used him earlier in games.

The Venezuelan winter league suspended play following the United States taking military action in Caracas, casting uncertainty on a couple of Los Angeles Dodgers players. Edgardo Henriquez, a Venezuelan native, had been pitching for La Tiburones de la Guaira, and Dodgers prospect Eduardo Quintero also briefly spent time with the team. With roughly five weeks until Spring Training begins, the Dodgers could face some challenges trying to get their players back to the United States.

The Mariners are going to acquire right-hander Yosver Zulueta from the Reds, reports Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com.

Giménez's bat has been in steady decline since his All-Star 2022 campaign. After hitting at least .251 each of the last two years, his slash line bottomed out to .210/285/.313 across 369 plate appearances in 2025. He graded 34% below league average by OPS+, with a 70 wRC+ that wasn't much better. His production also fell off on the basepaths, where he stole just 12 bases in 101 games after racking up 30 in each of the previous two seasons.