Friday January 31st begins the next installment of the Caribbean World Series when Venezuela takes on the Dominican Republic in the afternoon game from Mexicali.
There are a few new twists to this year’s event. First of all, Japan will take part joining the two opening game teams along with Mexico and Puerto Rico. It will also be the first time that the MLB Network has televised all of the games in English. The MLB Network has not aired games from the Caribbean Series since 2009 & 2010.
The four leagues are in the finals right now with the winners advancing to Mexicali.
Puerto Rico
In the Roberto Clemente Puerto Rico Professional Baseball League, or LBPRC, the Indios de Mayaguez are leading the series 4-1 in a best of 9. The Indios have appeared 17 times in the Caribbean Series winning twice (1978 & 1992).
Venezuela
In the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, or LVBP, The Bravos de Margarita took game 1 of the series from the Cardenales de Lara. But now the series is tied 2-2 in the best of 7. The Bravos have never made it to the Caribbean Series. The Cardenales have 6 league titles, the most recent in 2019-2020.
Dominican Republic
In the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League, or LIDOM, the Leones del Escogido lead the series 2-1 under the tutelage of new manager Albert Pujols. They currently lead the Tigres del Licey heading into game 4 on Friday night. The winner of the best of 7 advances.
This is the 10th time these two have faced off in the finals. The Leones have not won a championship in 9 years, while the Tigres have won the last 2.
Mexico
In the Mexican Pacific League, or LMP, the series is tied 1-1 between the Charros de Jalisco and the Tomateros de Culican. The teams are competing for the Fernando Valenzuela Trophy.
The Tomateros are looking for their 14th LMP title (last in 2021), and they have won 2 Caribbean Series titles with the last coming in 2002. While the Charros are looking for just their 3rd LMP title, they have never won the Caribbean title.
Japan
This might be the strangest team ever to play in the Caribbean Series. The Japan Breeze were established in 2024 with
Álex Ramírez as CEO. Ramirez, who might be little known here in the USA, is well known in other parts of the world. Hailing from Caracas, Venezuela, Ramirez played parts of 3 seasons in the MLB, mostly with the Cleveland Indians. Over his 135 game MLB career he hit a decent .259 with 12 home runs and 48 RBI.
Then he moved to Japan and played for 13 years with the Yakult Swallows, the Yomiuri Giants, and finally ending his career in 2013 at the age of 38 with the Yokohama Bay Stars. And he was just that, a star.
In his 13-year NPB career he hit 380 home runs (including a high of 49 in 2010), 1272 RBI, and has a lifetime NPB average of .301. For 8 years in a row, he drove in over 100 runs. He won a pair of Central League MVP awards (2008-2009), was an 8-time All-Star, and won the Japan Series twice along with numerous other accolades. In 2023, he was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
The team itself will feature mostly players from the Japanese independent league and corporate teams affiliated with the All Japan Baseball Federation.
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