Cuba will have to seek the pass to the semifinals of the V World Baseball Classic with two fewer players on its roster. After Yoenis Céspedes will abandon the concentration of the island last Sunday to solve “personal problems that cannot be postponed”, this Tuesday it has been known that Andy Ibáñez will not be with the squad in the decisive fight against Australia either.
According to statements offered by the player himself to the Cuban press accredited at the event, her Major League team (Detroit Tigers) has asked her to travel to the United States “as soon as possible” to assess the evolution of her injury on the fourth finger of his left hand.
“The team sent for me now, because the MLB season begins on the 31st of this month and they want to assess my finger, see how it is and see how I feel,” Andy told Radio Rebelde journalist Guillermo Rodríguez.
We inform that Andy Ibáñez will travel to the United States this Wednesday, because his MLB team decided to examine the evolution of his injury there. Depending on the result, he could rejoin #elCubaClasico in Miami if we achieve the expected progress.#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/OeA91Sxh0P
— Cuban Baseball Federation (@CubanaBeisbol) March 14, 2023
Ibáñez was unable to line up in any of the four games for the Antillean squad during the first round of the Clásico in Taichung, after suffering a trauma to the middle phalanx of the fourth finger on his left hand. The injury occurred during Cuba’s last preparation game when returning from hands to first base in a turn from the rival pitcher.
In the first instance, Andy was supposed to be able to participate in at least one or two games in the opening phase of the Classic, but he ultimately failed to recover in time.
“This whole situation is difficult, because I wanted to be part of the team all this time, but God didn’t allow it like that and I couldn’t play. I am leaving with the experience of the exhibition games, of being able to support the boys and that they go through in the first place”, specified Ibáñez, who became one of the most fervent cheerleaders of the squad from the bench.
“What I had to do was support, because I wanted Cuba to win. I have lived it to the fullest. It has been a nice experience to meet athletes that I have played from Cuba, with the director Armando Johnson”, he assured.
Statement by Andy Ibáñez, who will travel to the United States this Wednesday, claimed by his MLB organization to examine the evolution of his injury. #elCubaClasico #Cuba #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/5nlfdYELdx
— JIT Cuban Sport (@jit_digital) March 14, 2023
Regarding Cuba’s options in the coming challenges, Ibáñez said that the most important thing was to focus on the game of the day. “The team comes with a lot of spirit for this game against Australia and we have Yariel (Rodríguez), who is incredible how he is shooting,” he said.
Ibanez did not rule out the possibility of rejoining the team in Miami if they beat Australia in the quarterfinals. “Hopefully God wants him to be able to play the semifinal,” he specified, although that decision is in the hands of the Tigers, who will define the plan to follow with their player over the next few days.
Detroit claimed the Cuban on waivers in November 2022, but in early January he was cut from the 40-man roster and assigned to the Triple-A branch. However, Andy was given the opportunity to join the team in spring training before traveling to Asia to join the Cuban team.
Until now, the pinero has not had much time to convince the Tigers to open a place for him in the main team for the MLB season, so it is most likely that he will start the season in the Minor Leagues. From there he will have to fight to return to the Majors, territory that he knows perfectly well after his experiences with the Texas Rangers.
Andy’s loss leaves Cuba with two less players for the quarterfinals, taking into account that there would not be time for any of the seven reserve players (Pavel Quesada, Raico Santos, Lázaro Armenteros, Marlon Vega, Javier Mirabal, Franklyn Quintana and Alexander Valiente) join the Caribbean team in Tokyo.
