Amid earthquake aftermath, Venezuelans across MLB focus on support, reflection

DETROIT — His heart and mind were more than 1,000 miles away, but Omar López had a job to do. Five Houston Astros infielders awaited pregame ground balls and someone had to hit them.

That is his responsibility, so on a staggering day for López and scores of others from his home country, there stood the 49-year-old Venezuelan on the right side of home plate at Comerica Park. Houston’s bench coach banged baseballs into the ground, trying to generate normalcy on a day where that seemed impossible.

“Our country has been suffering so much for years and we’re still getting more hard stuff in our way,” López said, before drawing a deep breath to compose himself and suppress a sob.

In March, López managed Team Venezuela to a joyous World Baseball Classic title, his country’s first. On Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, members of that team comforted each other in the club’s WhatsApp group chat. Some struggled to contact friends and family after twin earthquakes shook San Felipe and Caracas.

“It’s frustrating,” López said. “Three months ago we were able to do something special and now, three months later, we have to go through the sad, frustrating part. We’re doing our best right now to support our community and our country from the distance.”

That limits what López and his countrymen can do, but he has long been a man of faith, someone who lives by the mantra “that God has a plan.” Even then, though, he knows that “for some reason stuff happens.

“Our country, it seems like everyone started to see the bright light at the end of the tunnel at some point,” he said. “I think probably there has to be a reason for this.”

Wednesday’s tectonic event began at 6:04 p.m. Eastern time, with the first of two earthquakes, a 7.2 magnitude event occurring in San Felipe, a town roughly 127 miles from the capital of Caracas. About 39 seconds later, a second earthquake at a 7.5 magnitude struck near Yumare. By Thursday evening, The New York Times had reported that the death toll had grown to at least 188 people.

Thursday brought reports of collapsed buildings and infrastructure concerns. There were pictures of rubble, and a donation from Pope Leo XIV, according to Vatican News.

Videos also quickly spread on social media, including one from a baseball game between the Marineros de Carabobo and the Senadores de Caracas of the Liga Mayor de Béisbol Profesional, Venezuela’s pro league. The game came to an abrupt halt, with players and fans running onto the field.

The LMBP has suspended games until further notice.

On Opening Day, MLB rosters featured 249 players from across 16 different countries and territories, representing 26.3 percent of all players. Of that group, 60 were Venezuelan, the second largest country represented behind the Dominican Republic.

In the aftermath of the disaster, players across Major League Baseball detailed efforts to make contact with family members who remained in the country. For some, that contact turned into heartbreak.

San Francisco Giants rookie Victor Bericoto, who was born in Maracay, learned shortly after hitting a walk-off home run Wednesday night that his brother’s girlfriend was among those killed.

“It’s really sad to see what’s going on in my country,” Bericoto told reporters. “You’re seeing entire families lose their homes, lose loved ones, lose everything that they had. It’s really sad to be so far away and not be able to do anything for them.”

Because of the time difference, some players, including Detroit Tigers left-hander Emmanuel De Jesus, were already in the process of playing Wednesday night’s late games, leaving them with limited information.

“I wasn’t able to talk to one of my sisters before I left for the game, but thank God everything is good,” De Jesus said. “… After the game I was able to find out everyone was good.”

In a memo sent to its clubs, MLB said players would be able to wear a tribute to Venezuela in the form of an embroidered patch on the side of their team-issued caps.

Because of the quick turnaround time, only Venezuelan players and coaching staff were allowed to wear the embroidered emblem during the Giants and Athletics’ series finale, a total of six people. Venezuelan players and coaches on the Chicago Cubs participated in the tribute, and in Detroit, López and Astros second baseman Jose Altuve wore the patch.

Ahead of Thursday’s game, López said Team Venezuela’s WBC group chat has remained open, with players and staffers supporting each other through Wednesday night into Thursday. The group plans to “put something together” for the country.

Baseball, López said, has the power to unify people, which was needed now, in a moment of great crisis. He later added, “This is the time to help each other.

“I feel really frustrated that I can’t go to Venezuela right now and help, put my best effort forward for our people,” he said. “I have a job to do. I have to stay here, but I’ll pray.”