Cuba could welcome back MLB defectors to play on national team
With relations between the Cuban and United States governments gradually improving, so to are the possibilities of the Cuban baseball federation welcoming back MLB defectors to play for the national team.
According to FOX Sports’ JP Morosi, Cuban baseball commissioner Heriberto Suárez says “everything is on the table” in regards to opening that door and allowing Cuban players to represent their country during events such as the World Baseball Classic. Though it’s also noted that any such arrangement would need to be part of a new, overall working agreement among the Cuban and American governments, as well as the MLB and the MLB Players Association.
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For that type of deal to be viable, the Cuban government — or perhaps an alternate Cuban entity — likely would need to receive some form of “release fee” in exchange for Cuba allowing players to sign MLB contracts without renouncing their citizenship. MLB appears willing to do that, but the U.S. embargo against Cuba (which is enforced by Congress) presently prohibits it.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said this week that a new agreement on Cuban player movement “most likely” will be finalized in the context of the next collective bargaining agreement — on which early discussions are taking place now between MLB and the MLBPA.
No deal is imminent, as this would be just this first step in what could be a lengthy process. But it’s no doubt an important step. And it’s one that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is very much open to supporting as well based on his desire to finalize a new agreement on Cuban players in the next CBA.
“Our view on the WBC is that it should be a competitive event between countries and federations,” Manfred said. “There’s a set of rules as to who can play for whom. Federations ought to put the best teams out there . . . That serves to make the event the best it can possibly be.”
“That’s a decision they have to make. We certainly would be open to it.”
Many of the right people are on board. Now it’s about building the momentum created by the historic and overwhelming successful trip President Obama, Major League Baseball and the Tampa Bay Rays made to Cuba this week. And hopefully as that momentum builds, the relations between the two countries will continue improving as well.
[Related: Rays minor-leaguer reunited with family on Cuba trip]
Such a deal would obviously have historic ramifications that stretch far beyond baseball. However, just looking at it from a baseball perspective is pretty exciting too. Cuba could truly field something close to a baseball dream team to compete against the World. Guys like Jose Abreu, Yasiel Puig, Yoenis Cespedes, Jose Fernandez and Aroldis Chapman could all wear that uniform, perhaps as early as the WBC next March.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
