Former starter Yoelkis Cruz

After 15 years as a star on the Las Tunas starting staff, the right-hander Yoalkis Cruz will reinforce the bullpen when the 60th National Baseball Series begins on September 12. 

Las Tunas, Cuba.- Mentor Pablo Alberto Civil advanced his three starters and revealed that the Leñadores (Lumberjacks) will probably rotate with only four starters, taking into account the two rest days that will be each week on the calendar.

The speedy Carlos Juan Viera, author of 11 victories the previous season, will again be the stater of the opening day, against the Hurricanes of Mayabeque. Later, the coaching staff in Las Tunas plans to place a pair of left-handers: Yudiel Rodríguez, a member of the Cuba team in recent international events, and Ángel Sánchez, Rookie of the Year in the 2017-2018 season.

The fourth man could be the right-hander José Armando Peña, although the right-hander Yasel Labrada also has options.

In the bullpen, in addition to Cruz, there will be regular relievers such as Alberto Pablo Civil and Yosbel Alarcón, along with the reappeared Alejandro Meneses, who returns after two years of inactivity due to an injury to his pitching shoulder.

As for the starters in each position, Civil noted that this year Yosvani Alarcón and Rafael Viñales will alternate a lot between catching and the first base. The “pilot of Las Tunas ship” considers that Viñales has the necessary level as a masked man to even aspire to integrate the National Team.

In the infield, Las Tunas will again feature the third baseman Yordanis Alarcón, MVP of the 59th National Series. In addition, Civil will send Denis Peña to shortstop and bet on Andrés de la Cruz in second base. Other players, such as Yudier Rondón and Ernesto Felipe Lalana, could also receive responsibilities at a certain point in the championship.

Civil considers it important that several men can perform in different positions. In this regard, he said that De la Cruz and Rondón could patrol the outfields if necessary.

International Yuniesky Larduet will once again be the starting center fielder, escorted by Dailier Peña on the left and Andrés Quiala on the right. Left-hitters Leonys Figueredo and Héctor Castillo complement a consolidated group of players, in which the arrival of Rubén Paz from Mexico is still awaited. Like every year, Dánel Castro will be the team's designated hitter.

FRIENDLY CAENDAR FOR THE LEÑADORES

The Lumberjacks of Las Tunas will start the 60th National Series at home when they host the Hurricanes of Mayabeque on September 12 and will enjoy another three consecutive subseries at home, while the rest of the calendar is now much friendlier than the one previously announced by Cuban baseball authorities.

After the epidemiological situation in the country forced to modify it, the schedule of Las Tunas significantly changed. Before, they had to start with four series in a row on the road, including a duel against the champion, Matanzas, another against Industriales in the "Latino" and the always fearsome trip to Isla de la Juventud.

Now, however, after starting off against the Hurricanes, those led by Pablo Alberto Civil will receive Matanzas, Cienfuegos and Villa Clara in that order, until completing two weeks of baseball in Julio Antonio Mella Park.

The first subseries as a visitor will be on September 26 and 27, in Artemisa, a journey that will later be extended to the city of Pinar del Río.

Schedule