Astros Cubans Àlvarez, Gurriel, Diaz chase the stage they couldn’t even dream about as kids
HOUSTON – Unlike most of the players in the American League Championship Series, Yordan Alvarez didn’t have any childhood dreams of playing in the World Series. Neither did Aledmys Diaz or Yuli Gurriel.
Alvarez, the Astros’ rookie phenom, was born only a few months before Cuban defector Livan Hernandez captivated Miami’s large exile community by helping the Florida Marlins win the 1997 title and earning the World Series MVP award. He was only 1 when fellow Cuban Orlando “El Duque” Hernández, Livan’s half brother, helped the Yankees win the 1998 World Series to deal another propaganda blow to dictator Fidel Castro’s regime.
Castro died almost three years ago. It is no longer a surprise when a ballplayer defects Cuba, yet players like Alvarez, Diaz and Gurriel share a special bond with Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman that only their countrymen can appreciate.
“I’m very happy, very happy,” said Gurriel, a Team Cuba legend and Castro favorite who stunned his island when he defected in February 2016. “The more Cubans you have, I think that we feel very proud. For me in general, this is the first time I’ve played with two other Cubans with tremendous expectations.
“In Yordan’s case, he’s been incredible as a rookie with tremendous expectations. In Diaz’s case, he’s a very experienced player with a lot of ability. He can play all positions, and I’m truly happy about that.”
Gurriel was already 32 when he made his debut with the Astros in 2016. Diaz, who defected in 2012 and played in Mexico until he signed with the Cardinals in 2014, is 29 and on his third team after earning an All-Star nod as a rookie in 2016 with the Cardinals.
The Astros acquired Diaz from the Blue Jays last offseason to serve as a super utility man who could play anywhere in the infield and at left field.
“It’s incredible, incredible,” Diaz said. “It’s an unforgettable experience. I think that we’re in a good position to keep playing well and win a World Series. That’s what every ballplayer aspires to at this time, and I’m happy about that.”
Alvarez, 22, defected from Cuba in 2016 and initially signed with the Dodgers, but he was traded to the Astros on Aug. 1, 2016, without ever playing a single minor-league game for the Dodgers.
Alvarez is the clear front-runner for the American League Rookie of the Year Award after 27 home runs and 78 RBIs over only 87 games, setting the major league rookie record with a 1.067 OPS to surpass the rookie mark the iconic Shoeless Joe Jackson set in 1911 with a 1.058 OPS in 1911.
In many ways, Alvarez’s season has been as storybook already as Livan Hernandez’s was in 1997.
All three men have played pivotal roles this season for the Astros while helping each other. The special bond they share is quite evident.
“It’s a great experience for them,” Astros president of baseball operations Jeff Luhnow said. “Diaz has been on three different teams, but it’s great for him to have this postseason experience. Alvarez is a rookie.
“To be able to be exposed to this and hitting fifth in the lineup for a championship-caliber team, that’s pretty impressive. Gurriel obviously has a slow heartbeat. He’s out there every day just delivering the hits when we need them.”
Gurriel already owns one World Series ring after helping the Astros claim the first title in franchise history in 2017.
Now, Diaz and Alvarez are in search of the stage they never even considered growing up in Cuba.
“No, no, never,” Alvarez said. “When I left Cuba and I started having an idea of what the big leagues, that’s when I started to dream. I’m super happy. I think it’s something that’s going to mark each of our careers, each step that we’re giving in the postseason.”
Only the Yankees stand in the Astros’ way from a trip to the World Series, and that iconic baseball team transcended Castro’s Cuba.
“Sure, you’d always hear about the Yankees,” Alvarez said. “I did hear about them as a child. I definitely knew about them as a child. I can definitely tell you that.”
In case there’s any doubt, it’s important to point out that Gurriel, Alvarez and Diaz still keep their countrymen in mind.
They may no longer represent Team Cuba, but they are always trying to represent their island. Their love of Cuba has never faded, and they hope the feeling is mutual.
“I hope they keep supporting us,” Gurriel said of Cubans back home. “We’re trying to give our hardest to lift the Cuban name as high as possible.”
Featured Image: Jean Fruth / La Vida Baseball