Álvarez Breaks Through with Help from Father Back in Cuba and Older Teammates Here

WASHINGTON – Yuli Gurriel was in the weight room at National Parks before Game 5 when he told fellow Cuban Yordan Álvarez that he would finally break out from his postseason slumber in a few hours.

Aledmys Díaz, another Cuban, was even more insistent Sunday, insisting to the Astros’ rookie phenom that Game 5 of the World Series would finally be his breakout moment of the postseason. Carlos Correa also kept ushering good thoughts into the young Cuban’s mind before he finally showcased the home run swing that made him the favorite for the 2019 American League Rookie of the Year Award.

Unlike most of the participants in the 2019 Fall Classic, Álvarez is relatively alone in the United States. He has his young bride for moral support, but there is no extended family in the United States, much less the family section at Nationals Park or Minute Maid Park.

He leans on his father’s daily advice via their phone calls, but his father remains in Cuba, the island from which Álvarez, Gurriel and Díaz defected in hopes of playing Major League Baseball.

There has been a thaw in the relationship between Communist Cuba and the United States since Fidel Castro died, but players still must defect to play in the majors.

Moreover, Agustin Álvarez isn’t even guaranteed that he can watch his son’s game’s live on television. On the days he’s not lucky enough to get internet reception to see games on an MLB app, he usually settles for watching highlights a few days late.

Like most other Cubans who strive to watch the World Series, he must go to some of Cuba’s tourist hotels to watch the games there. If he misses the games, though, he’ll get a daily recap from his young son.

“Obviously I talk with my dad every day,” Álvarez, 22, said. “And we talk about everything. And during the off day we had some time and were able to talk together and talk about what I was doing well, what I need to make adjustments on. And so he’s always been a help for me.”

The motivational sessions with his father and teammates surely helped. Álvarez, who hit 27 home runs over only 87 games in the majors this season and 50 homers between Class AAA Round Rock and the majors, hit his first home run of the postseason to give the Astros a 2-0 lead in the second inning.

“That home run was very important,” Gurriel said. “Honestly, I celebrated that home run more than if I had hit it because he hadn’t had a very good postseason early on. He was going through a very difficult time. But it’s normal. He’s a very young player but with a lot of talent, and I knew he’d wake up at any moment.

“In fact, in the gym I was telling him that he couldn’t leave here without hitting a home run. And now you see his response in his first at-bat.”

After the game, a smiling Álvarez thanked Gurriel and reminded him of his pregame prediction.

Álvarez became the 40th rookie to homer in Fall Classic history. He also became the fourth youngest American Leaguer to homer in a World Series game behind Tony Kubek and Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle and Jimmie Foxx.

Moreover, he became the youngest AL player to collect three hits in a World Series game.

“Very happy with the home run,” he said. “Obviously today all my teammates were saying today is your day. Today is your day. And it happened so obviously I’m very happy about it.”

Featured Image: Houston Astros Instagram