The Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) has announced that relief pitcher Yoan López, who previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets, will not be participating in the upcoming Premier 12 tournament. The FCB cited health issues as the reason for his absence, according to their statement on social media platform X.
Originally from Isla de la Juventud, López was selected to join the island's team for this significant competition. However, he had to withdraw, marking another instance where the closer has been absent from a national team event, including the V World Baseball Classic, which he missed due to personal reasons.
Preparation for Premier 12
In recent days, the Cuban team wrapped up their participation in the Ulsan-KBO Autumn League 2024 with three wins and one loss, as part of their preparation for the Premier 12, set to start in November. Under the guidance of manager Armando Johnson, the team secured victories against the Goyang Heroes (14-3), Huge Horses (7-2), and LG Twins (2-1). Their only defeat was against the NC Dinos (1-13).
Johnson commented to JIT that the matches allowed the team to give playing time to all players and emphasized maximizing their versatility. "The pitchers completed their planned tasks according to their pitch limits and roles, without compromising results, and overall, we are satisfied," Johnson stated.
Competition Groups and Venues
Cuba is part of Group B, which includes South Korea, the Dominican Republic, Australia, Chinese Taipei, and the reigning champion, Japan. The matches for this group will take place at the "Vantelin Dome Nagoya" in Japan and the "Taipei Dome" and "Tianmu" stadiums in Taipei.
Meanwhile, Group A features Mexico, the United States, Venezuela, the Netherlands, Panama, and Puerto Rico. Their games will be held at the "Estadio Panamericano Charros de Jalisco" in Guadalajara and "Santa Teresita de Tepic" in Nayarit, all located in Mexican cities.