Yoanni Yera

Santiago de Chile, October 19 (ACN)-- Left-hander Yoanni Yera will be the starting pitcher of the Cuba team this Friday against Colombia in the Santiago-2023 baseball tournament, announced the team's helmsman, Armando Johnson, who advanced the possible starting lineup.

For the opening game of the Cubans, who seek to regain the scepter that has eluded them since Rio-2027, the mentor Johnson should place Roel Santos as the first bat, followed by Roberto Baldoquin, Yoelquis Guibert, Erisbel Arruebarruena, Dayán García, Yurisbel Gracial, Yasniel González, Andrys Pérez and Yadil Mujica.

The mentor assured the press that this line up is almost the same that he used against Curacao in the final of the Caribbean Cup in Puerto Rico, won by the Cuban national team.

He added that besides Yera, all the other pitchers would be ready to relieve, with Fran Abel Alvarez in the role of closer.

For Cuba's next two clashes, Carlos Juan Viera, against the Venezuelans, and José Ramón Rodríguez against the Brazilians were announced.

In Lima 2019, Cuban baseball had its worst historical performance in the Pan American Games, placing sixth in a tournament won by Puerto Rico, now absent. Neither the United States nor Canada are in the event.

Cuba, bronze medalist in the Guadalajara 2011 and Toronto-2015 editions, reigned consecutively in continental baseball from 1971 to 2007 with 10 titles, and had previously triumphed in the 1951 and 1963 editions.