When Home Is in Ruins, Baseball Must Go On
· Yahoo Sports
If home is where the heart is for many Venezuelan players, their hearts are buried beneath the rubble of uncertainty of what home has become, and as the death toll rises and they take the field to play a kids' game in the back of their minds, the thought of what's left and the heartbreak it causes refuses to let them enjoy the game they love.
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Its been almost a week since two devastating earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale struck Venezuela causing massive damage and death with the total number of confirmed dead over the 1400 mark. The turmoil has Venezuelan players across Major League Baseball performing a balancing act. With every crack of the bat and roar of the crowd comes an overwhelming sense of guilt. How can someone celebrate victories on the field when their country is mourning thousands of lives lost and still missing in the disaster that shook the country.
“It hurts me the most to be here and have a happy face.” William Contreras Said.
Each day has brought a new set of challenges for Venezuelan players like Javier Sanoja of the Miami Marlins, William Contreras and Jackson Chourio of the Milwaukee Brewers, and many others. They are forced to balance the emotions of watching their country go through the chaos and turmoil of searching for survivors as they try to help from so far away, while still finding a way to rest, prepare, and perform on the field.
“I haven't been able to sleep well or rest well, trying to be able to help people. A lot of people come to you, trusting that help will come.” Sanoja Said.
Javier Sanoja, who is from Maracay, Venezuela led the media availability for Clayton McCullough this evening. pic.twitter.com/Nky4qOwIEL
— Marlins Radio Network (@MarlinsRadio) June 26, 2026
Since the disaster, Venezuelan players have been wearing their hearts on their sleeves for the entire baseball world to see. Sanoja fought back tears when asked about the situation and what it has been like for him. As his translator echoed his words, Sanoja was visibly heartbroken. Marlin’s manager Clayton McCullough placed a hand on his leg, trying to reassure him, but the emotion was there as Sanoja deals with it all.
“It's heartbreaking to know what they're going through at this time and just trying to find ways to help them in any way.” Sanoja Said.
Making it harder the approaching All-Star break was supposed to be a chance for many Venezuelan players to return home and be with family and friends. Instead, it brings uncertainty and the painful reality that the home they planned to return to may have changed forever.
The situation has brought out the usual thoughts and prayers with the shocking images tugging at heartstrings. But ultimately, without having direct ties to the crisis, no one know the true sadness so many around MLB are feeling, and your daily life will continue as usual.
For Venezuelan baseball players however, their lives have changed forever. And now the entire world has a chance to see not only the gift but also the curse of being a professional baseball player.
The ability to make a living playing baseball is a gift players are born with, and through hard work, they grow that gift into a professional career.
The curse comes when a tragedy strikes, they're expected to grieve while still doing their job as the public watches. The demands of a season don't stop because a player or players are dealing with tragedies in their lives. The expectation is to preform regardless of what is transpiring in their lives.
That leaves Venezuelan players trying to balance the responsibilities of performing on the field while carrying a broken heart over what is happening with the people they love back home.
“We want to be there to help everyone who needs us. But we can't, this is the life of a base-baller. This is the life that many think is easy,” Contreras said, adding, “it's hard for us to focus on a game and try to be like nothing happened. It's really tough, but we understand that's the life of baseball players.”
🇻🇪“Our country needs help. It is so painful. We have to show emotion & support. It’s hard to focus on a game like nothing happened.”
— Tricia Whitaker (@TriciaWhitaker) June 26, 2026
William Contreras breaks down in tears as he talks about his country and his friends back home, searching for their loved ones amidst the rubble… pic.twitter.com/9yjjyf8a9b
Since the tragedy struck, games have come and gone, but the pain these players carry has never left. For Venezuela's players, the toughest battle isn't on a baseball field it's waiting at home, where they'll be needed to help rebuild a country that was shaken to its core.