MIAMI — Before the revelry, before the madness, before the three-hour, ear-splitting baseball game between the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Juan Soto met and greeted in the outfield.
By then, just minutes before the first game, the stands were nearly full. Many of the 36,230 rum-drinking patrons were already making noise. Flags waved among the crowds like Caribbean palm groves. Underneath this highly anticipated concert, two of the best players in the building gathered together for a small talk.
advertise
[Draft your Yahoo Fantasy Baseball team for the 2026 MLB Season]
Soto and Acuña have been linked for some time.
The two superstars debuted in 2018, finishing first (Acuña) and second (Soto) in Rookie of the Year voting. They played in the same division until Soto was traded to San Diego at the 2022 trade deadline. The same was true when Soto was stationed in Queens. They are friends, compatriots, and colleagues.
As the two chatted, they took off their hats and handed them to each other for deeper investigation. After a moment, Acuña rushed forward and playfully placed his Venezuelan hat on Soto’s head, and the two exchanged caps. For a while, it was balanced on top of Soto’s black durag, with Acuña’s blue cap matching perfectly with Soto’s similarly colored Dominican Republic jersey. The Mets outfielder playfully backed away and tossed his hat back to his partner. The two smiled, rubbed each other, and continued stretching.
advertise
That moment epitomized the evening, a joyous celebration of baseball at the highest level in Latin America.
The two countries have ranked second and third behind the United States in producing players for Major League Baseball (MLB) over the past few decades. In Latin America, they are a dominant force in gaming culture and player development. For both, baseball is the national sport and so much more. It is a way of life and existence, and the superstars produced by each country are an ever-present source of shared pride.
That pride was on full display Wednesday as the Dominican Republic beat Venezuela 7-5 to take first place in Group D. The star-studded Dominican team set the tone with a long pass reception early on. The top four players in the batting order all went deep in the first four innings, each stroke sending a wave of dizzy compatriots from the dugout onto the diamond with childlike glee.
advertise
Fernando Tatis Jr.’s three-run blast in the fourth inning gave DR a cushion through a relatively unremarkable middle inning. Venezuela ended the game with a goosebump-inducing ninth inning that included a three-run double and a throwing error by reliever Elvis Alvarado, but couldn’t get the clutch moment it needed.
While the performances on the field were impressive from both sides, the celebrations were on another level entirely.
Juan Soto nearly knocked his bat off the roof of Rental Park in the first inning. Junior Caminero and Julio Rodriguez made moves on the deck near the circle as Kotel Marte circled the bases in the third inning. After Vlad Guerrero Jr. struck out two batters, Tatis carried Geraldo Perdomo back to the dugout.
advertise
Every player in the Dominican dugout flocked to the court to celebrate each big fly. Of course, all four homers come complete with team flag-themed leather jackets, oversized DR logo chains and a mock group selfie at home plate.
This is unencumbered baseball.
Both clubs came into the showdown unbeaten and with a knockout spot locked up, meaning the stakes were significantly lower than they might have been. But that didn’t dampen any of the crowd’s energy. In fact, it seemed to lighten the mood, as both fans knew their teams’ championship game would continue well into the evening. The atmosphere was tense, but it wasn’t the tension of an elimination round or even a typical pool game.
advertise
As Venezuelan fans trudged home after their team failed miserably, it was hard to believe any of them had a bad time. That’s because the atmosphere itself – a heady red and blue tornado of horn instruments, gyrating hips and Latin spirit – is the main draw. This is about community and two separate communities as one community.
Cubaya acknowledged that Venezuela’s losses would be punishable. Venezuela, second in the group, will play defending champions Samurai Japan in the quarterfinals on Saturday. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, one of the best pitchers in the world, will start for Japan in this game. While Venezuela does possess frustrating offensive firepower, the task ahead of them is a daunting one.
advertise
The Dominican Republic, on the other hand, looks like an unstoppable freight train. Before Wednesday’s game, DR captain Albert Pujols was asked if he had any concerns about his lineup, having faced only one MLB-caliber pitcher so far in the tournament.
Pujols responded with a wry smile: “I think our offense can hit anybody.”
This proved particularly true against Venezuela.
