MLB teams scramble to check in on Venezuelan players stranded in aftermath of Trump’s military strikes
Major League Baseball teams are scrambling to ensure the safety of any players, prospects, coaches and staff working in Venezuela after the United States conducted military strikes in the South American nation and toppled President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
‘We don’t have much info at the moment but are trying to follow up,’ Arnold said, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. ‘We know the airports have been shut down but not much beyond that.’
Outfielder Jackson Chourio, a key contributor in the Brewers’ playoff run last season, as well as infielder Andruw Monasterio and catcher Jeferson Quero are among the players stranded in Venezuela, the Journal Sentinel is reporting.
Meanwhile, MLB reporter Marcos Grunfeld is reporting the Boston Red Sox are monitoring the situation in Venezuela, where they’ve confirmed all of their players and staff are safe.
It’s unclear which players are currently in the country, but the Red Sox do have a number of Venezuelan players, including catcher Carlos Narváez, right fielder Wilyer Abreu and newly acquired first baseman, Willson Contreras.
President Donald Trump’s military strikes came at the onset of the Venezuelan Winter League (LVBP) playoffs. The winner will represent Venezuela in the 2026 Caribbean Series, which had been slated to be held in the country’s capital of Caracas, but was recently moved to Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. The event will run from February 1 through 7.
Outfielder Jackson Chourio, a key contributor in the Brewers’ playoff run last season, is among the Milwaukee players currently stranded in Venezuela
A child waves a Venezuelan flag on the Colombia-Venezuela border during a rally after the confirmation of Nicolas Maduro’s capture this early morning in Caracas, on Saturday
Government supporters burn a U.S. flag in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday
Typically, a handful of MLB players as well as a larger number of prospects have participated in various Caribbean leagues in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Puerto Rico.
Meanwhile, a prominent player agent from Venezuelan is celebrating the military action in his native country – something many critics have called ‘illegal.’
‘I haven’t been home in 21 years,’ agent Rafa Nieves wrote on X. ‘I haven’t visited my dad’s burial place since then. My kids have never seen where I came from.
‘To all the critics whining about the legality of this operation, I recommend you go f*** yourself.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to Nieves’ agency, Republik Sports, for updates on their clients in the area.
