The start of the Dominican League (LIDOM) this Saturday had as one of its most outstanding notes the return to the fields of Cuban gardener Yoenis Céspedes, who had been inactive for more than two years due to various injuries and interventions that precipitated the end of his career in MLB in the summer of 2020.
Just as it had been announced last August, “La Power” returned to the ring with the Águilas Cibaeñas, the winningest squad on the winter circuit along with the Tigres del Licey (22 titles each), with which they already had an experience in January of 2012 during the play off of the Dominican professional circuit.
The man from Granma, who will turn 37 this week, lined up as fourth post and left patrol in the duel against the Gigantes del Cibao. Céspedes went blank in four innings with a strikeout included, but his team managed the victory 4-1 thanks to the offensive contribution of Melky Cabrera and Andretty Cordero and the great work of Yunesky Maya from Pinar del Río.
“The warrior”
Yunesky Maya silenced the opposing bats to only 2 hits in 5 innings.#Rumboala23 #WeAreTheDifference #BigTeam pic.twitter.com/3PuOrK7HCl
– Cibaeñas Eagles (@aguilascibaenas) October 16, 2022
The West Indian shooter was impeccable during five innings without runs, in which he faced 18 batters, allowed two hits, conceded a walk and retired three rivals by way of strikes. Maya, with plenty of experience in LIDOM, left the game with an advantage for his team, but could not score the victory because the relief allowed the Giants to draw.
However, most of the spotlight focused on Céspedes, who had not played an official game since August 1, 2020, when he was a member of the New York Mets. From that moment on, the Cuban went under the radar, totally limited by injuries that had already prevented him from playing in the 2019 campaign.
A little less than a month ago, Céspedes said have the support of his family to return to the diamond, something that is only possible thanks to being physically and mentally fit.
“I am not playing here for the purpose of being seen and signing a contract to return to a Major League team, I am only doing it for the love of this game. I just do it to show myself that I can still produce, maybe not at the level of ten years ago, but I feel like I can do it”, assured the man from Granma.
Yoenis Céspedes made his Major League debut in 2012 with Oakland and later went through Boston, Detroit and the Mets. In total, he hit 362 extra-base hits, 165 home runs, drove in 528 runs, scored 475 times and left an offensive line of .273 / .327 / .497 in 834 games distributed in eight seasons.
The outfielder was called to two All-Star Games and won two consecutive Home Run Festivals (2013 and 2014), deserved the Gold Glove in the American League with the Tigers in 2015 and a Silver Slugger in the National League with the Mets in the 2016.
