2026 Caribbean Series

The 2026 Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) was the fifty-sixth edition of the second stage of the Caribbean Series. Originally scheduled to be played in Venezuela, the other three entries (Mexico, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico) were concerned about safety in Venezuela so moved the even to Guadalajara, Jalisco in Mexico. That prompted Venezuela to withdraw, with their spot being taken by a Panamanian team and a second Mexican team. In an unprecedented development, both Mexican teams made it to the finals, with the Charros de Jalisco (otherwise known as "Mexico Red"), managed by Benji Gil, defeating the Tomateros de Culiacan ("Mexico Green"), 12-11 in the finale. It was Jalisco's first title. The Most Valuable Player was Michael Wielansky, a second baseman for the Charros.

Final Standings[edit]

Team	League	G	W	L	WPCT	Manager
Charros de Jalisco	Mexican Pacific League	6	5	1	.833	Benji Gil
Tomateros de Culiacán	Mexican Pacific League	6	3	3	.500	Lorenzo Bundy
Leones del Escogido	Dominican League	5	3	2	.600	Ramon Santiago
Cangrejeros de Santurce	Puerto Rican League	5	2	3	.400	Ramón Vázquez
Federales de Chiriquí	Panamanian League	4	0	4	.000	José Mayorga

Teams[edit]

The Leones del Escogido won their 18th Dominican League title and had won five Caribbean Series, being the defending champions.

The Cangrejeros de Santurce had taken their 17th Puerto Rican League crown and had won six Caribbean Series, most recently in 2000.

The Charros de Jalisco won their fourth Mexican Pacific League title. They had never won a Series, having last appeared a year ago.

The Federales de Chiriquí of the Panamanian League had previously played once, in the 2021 Caribbean Series.

The Tomateros de Culiacán had finished second in the LMP, behind Jalisco. They had won two Caribbean titles, the last one being in 2002.

Games[edit]

February 1[edit]

Game 1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Culiacán	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	11	0
Santurce	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	2	5	9	0
Win: Gabriel Rodriguez (1-0) Loss: Anthony Gose (0-1)

The Series kicked off with an exciting comeback. Collin Wiles, starting for Santurce, struggled out of the gate. LF Estevan Florial singled, CF Allen Córdoba walked and 3B Rodolfo Amador doubled in Florial. A sac fly by DH Joey Meneses made it 2-0. In the second, 2B Jasson Atondo began with a single, SS Luis Verdugo doubled him in and C Alí Solís singled for a 4-0 lead, chasing Wiles, who had retired only 3 of 9 batters. Jordan Morales, Brady Tedesco, Derek West, Roel Ramirez and Gabriel Rodriguez stifled the Tomateros over the next 8 innings, though.

Santurce began their comeback in the 4th. LF Gabriel Cancel doubled off David Reyes and 1B Yohandy Morales, the Puerto Rican League finals MVP, crushed a two-run shot. In the 7th, C Christian Vázquez doubled off Rafael Cordova and was bunted over then came home on a grounder by DH Rubén Castro. Mexico still was up 3-2 entering the bottom of the 9th but Anthony Gose plunked 2B Isan Díaz to open the frame. CF Jack López bunted him into scoring position then Gose walked Vázquez on five pitches. Miguel Vazquez relieved and got SS Andrew Velazquez on a grounder that advanced the runners, putting the potential winning run on second. Castro turned the potential into the actual with a two-run single to win the game, bringing in pinch-runners Johneshwy Fargas and Jeremy Arocho.

Game 2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Escogido	0	0	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	5	8	1
Jalisco	1	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	0	4	8	1
Win: Kenny Hernández (1-0) Loss: Manny Bañuelos (0-1) Save: Jimmy Cordero (1)

Both Mexican teams start off with disappointing 5-4 losses. Jalisco got on the board first against Oscar De La Cruz when SS Connor Hollins was plunked and stole, 2B Michael Wielansky had a one-out single (the first of his four hits today), DH Willie Calhoun walked and 3B Mateo Gil had a RBI grounder. De La Cruz escaped further trouble when he retired RF Bligh Madris. The Leones had a big third against Manny Bañuelos. DH Franchy Cordero led off with a single; with two outs, SS Erik González and RF Sócrates Brito both walked. LF Junior Lake, playing in his 9th Caribbean Series, smacked a bases-clearing double for a 3-1 lead. Lake would also have a four-hit day.

In the top of the 5th, the Leones padded their edge. 2B Gustavo Núñez walked and stole then Cordero singled him in and Brito singled as well. Mario Meza replaced Bañuelos but Lake singled and 3B Cristhian Adames grounded in a run for a 5-1 score. Jalisco chased De La Cruz in the 5th on a Hollins walk, a one-out single by Wielansky and a two-out, two-run double by Gil. Facing former Rays closer Álex Colomé in the 7th, Jalisco's Julian Ornelas single and stole stole then Wielansky singled again. Emailin Montilla relieved and allowed a RBI single to Calhoun to make it a one-run game. That brought up Gil, who had driven in 3 of his team's 4 runs. He didn't come through this time but Lake did in a big way again, as he snared Gil's liner then fired home to nab Wielansky on a 7-2 double play. Jalisco only got one hit in the last two innings against Jefry Yan and Jimmy Cordero.

February 2[edit]

Game 3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Santurce	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	3	9	2
Escogido	3	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	x	5	7	1
Win: Enny Romero (1-0) Loss: Daryl Thompson (0-1) Save: Jimmy Cordero (2)

In a matchup of yesterday's winners, the Dominicans almost put it away in the first. 2B Gustavo Núñez singled off Daryl Thompson; with one out, he stole second and took third on a throwing error by C Christian Vázquez on the play. RF Sócrates Brito walked and CF Junior Lake remained hot with a RBI single. 1B Cristhian Adames singled in Brito and DH Aderlin Rodríguez's sac fly plated Lake. After C Michael De La Cruz walked, Thompson was yanked in favor of Jordan Morales, finishing the day with a 40.50 ERA.

The Leones tacked on a 4th run in the second, 3B Marco Hernández singling off David Lebron and taking second on an error by CF Johneshwy Fargas. With one away, SS Erik González singled for a 4-0 lead. After Puerto Rico stranded runners on third in 3rd and 4th, the Dominicans got their final tally in the 5th on a Lake walk from Andrew Baker and a double by Adames.

Enny Romero blanked the Crabbers for the first five innings. In the 6th, he was replaced by Luis Frías. 1B Yohandy Morales greeted him with a single and DH Nelson Velázquez also singled; both finished the day with 3 hits. Game 1 hero Rubén Castro walked to load the bases. 3B Emmanuel Rivera hit into a run-scoring error by González and 2B Shed Long Jr. hit into a run-scoring double play to close it to 5-2. SS Jack López singled to left to make it 5-3 but Deury Carrasco retired Vázquez to end the threat. Jefry Yan allowed 3 baserunners but no runs in the 7th then Álex Colomé and Jimmy Cordero closed it out.

Game 4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Jalisco	4	0	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	7	1
Chiriquí	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	4	9	0
Win: Luis Iván Rodríguez (1-0) Loss: Paolo Espino (0-1)

The hosts pick up their first win, routing Panama. RF/1B Bligh Madris hits a grand slam and starter Luis Iván Rodríguez goes five shutout innings for the win, departing with a 11-0 lead. MLB vet Paolo Espino is rocked for 8 runs in 2 innings, though Alberto Guerrero and Enrique Saldana hold Mexico to one hit in the final six innings. 3B Johan Camargo's two-run homer is the biggest hit for Panama.

February 3[edit]

Game 1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chiriquí	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	9	0
Culiacán	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	x	2	9	0
Win: Odrisamer Despaigne (1-0) Loss: Jorge Garcia (0-1) Save: Lupe Chavez (1)

The two winless teams squared off. The tone was set early when Panama got two men in scoring position against 38-year-old Odrisamer Despaigne in the first but RF Luis Castillo grounded out; the team would strand nine runners today. SS Luis Verdugo opened the bottom of the third with a hit off Jorge Garcia and 2B Carlos Sepuvelda was plunked with one out. CF Allen Córdoba, facing his country's team, grounded the men over and 3B Rodolfo Amador singled them in, one of his 3 hits. Those would be Mexico's only runs in the game but it was all they would need. Castillo's single to open the 7th knocked out Despaigne in favor of Sasagi Sánchez. After a sacrifice bunt, PH Abraham Rodríguez doubled to make it 2-1 but was stranded. Panama closed the game like they started, with blown opportunities, putting two on against Lupe Chavez before Chavez retired SS Austin Dennis to end it.

Game 6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Jalisco	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	8	0
Santurce	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1
Win: Luis Miranda (1-0) Loss: Eduardo Rivera (0-1) Save: Trevor Clifton (1)

The Mexican teams completed their sweep of the day thanks to a dominant pitching performance by Luis Miranda, Gerardo Reyes, Matt Foster and Trevor Clifton. Miranda allowed two hits and one walk in 6 shutout innings and three relievers gave up two hits and a walk over the final three. Jalisco got the winning run three batters into the game - CF Billy Hamilton doubled off Eduardo Rivera to open the game; after an out, 2B Michael Wielansky singled and SS Andrew Velazquez made an error on the play to let in Hamilton. In the third, LF Julian Ornelas singled, was balked over and scored on a Wielansky double. In the 5th, the duo did it again, this time against Jordan Morales; that time, Ornelas got the double and Wielansky the single, his third and final hit of the day, all leading to Charros runs.

February 4[edit]

Game 7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chiriquí	0	2	3	0	1	6	2	0	1	15	18	1
Escogido	0	5	0	2	5	2	0	2	x	16	16	2
Win: Emailin Montilla (1-0) Loss: Enrique Saldana (0-1) Save: Jimmy Cordero (3)

The Dominicans stayed unbeaten and Panama stayed winless but it was far from one-sided in a slugfest that went down to the final at-bat, when Jimmy Cordero retired Jhonny Santos with the potential tying run on third and the potential go-ahead run on first. Cordero was the 9th Dominican pitcher. For the victors, 3B Marco Hernández had 4 hits and 4 RBI from the #9 spot in the order and LF Franchy Cordero also drove in four. C Christian Bethancourt drove in four in a losing effort. The game set a record for most runs in a game, the old high being 28 in 1990.

Game 8

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Culiacán	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	7	0
Jalisco	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	x	4	8	3
Win: Luis Márquez (1-0) Loss: Faustino Carrera (0-1) Save: Matt Foster (1)

Just as in this season's LMP finals, Jalisco prevailed over Culiacán. The Tomateros got to Ronald Medrano quickly as 2B Carlos Sepulveda got plunked, CF Allen Córdoba singled him to third (the first of his 3 hits today, almost half his team's total) and 3B Rodolfo Amador hit a sacrifice fly. The hosts got the run back in the bottom of the frame as red-hot 2B Michael Wielansky had a two-out single off Faustino Carrera then LF Willie Calhoun singled and 3B Mateo Gil singled Wielansky home. In the second, they took the lead on a homer from Colombian veteran Reynaldo Rodríguez. The Tomateros tied it back up in the third on back-to-back doubles by Córdoba and Amador. Medrano left with a knee injury. César Gómez, Luis Márquez, Jesús Cruz, Gerardo Reyes and Matt Foster blanked Culiacán over the final seven innings.

The game remained 2-2 going into the bottom of the 5th. CF Julian Ornelas had a one-out single and Braulio Torres-Perez took over for Carrera but had a two-out balk then Ornelas stole third and came home on a wild pitch for the game-winning run. The Tomateros loaded the bases in the top of the 7th but Cruz struck out LF Estevan Florial to end the threat. In the bottom of the inning, LF Leo Heras doubled off David Gutiérrez and scored on a one-out single by Wielansky, who stood at .625 through the round-robin phase.

February 5[edit]

Game 9

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Santurce	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	3	1	8	14	0
Chiriquí	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	3	7	1
Win: Blane Abeyta (1-0) Loss: Humberto Mejía (0-1)

Panama finished winless despite getting a strong pitching performance today. They scored off Dereck Rodriguez in the first when CF José Ramos tripled and 3B Johan Camargo singled him home. In the 5th, they doubled their lead against Blane Abeyta. SS Austin Dennis walked and stole, advanced on a Ramos grounder and came home on a Camargo sac fly. Harold Araúz kept Santurce in check for the first five but Puerto Rico's bats came alive in the 6th. With one out, DH Gabriel Cancel singled and Humberto Mejía relieved. 1B Yohandy Morales and LF Nelson Velázquez both singled to close it to 2-1. 2B Isan Díaz tied it with a single then 3B Emmanuel Rivera walked. With one out, C Christian Vázquez hit a two-run single and Santurce took the lead and they would not relinquish it.

In the 7th, the Federales pulled back within a run. 1B Erasmo Caballero singled off Robert Gsellman and 2B Joshwan Wright hit into a force. After a wild pitch, Dennis grounded Wright to third. Ramos singled to make it 4-3 but Gabriel Rodriguez, Derek West and Andrew Marrero pitched hitless ball the rest of the way. Meanwhile, their hitters were building the lead. In the 8th, Rivera hit a two-out double off Abdiel Mendoza, SS Jack López walked and Vázquez singled for his third RBI. With two away, there was a double steal then RF Rubén Castro singled in a run and an error by Wright made it 7-3. In the 9th, Morales tripled against Severino González and scored on a hit by Díaz.

Game 10

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Escogido	3	0	0	1	0	2	1	0	0	7	7	2
Culiacán	0	0	2	0	0	1	1	6	x	10	14	3
Win: Anthony Gose (1-1) Loss: Conner Greene (0-1) Save: Lupe Chavez (2)

LF Franchy Cordero hit his second and third homers of the Series as the Dominicans built a solid 7-4 lead entering the bottom of the 8th before Mexico exploded for six runs off Greg Minier and Conner Greene. SS Luis Verdugo had 3 hits for the Tomateros while Anthony Gose and Lupe Chavez close it off with two shutout innings. The Leones take their first loss.

February 6[edit]

Game 11

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Culiacán	0	0	0	3	0	2	4	0	0	9	13	1
Escogido	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	4	10	1
Win: Anthony Gose (2-1) Loss: Kenny Hernández (1-1)

After their 3-0 start, the Leones dropped their second straight to the Tomateros, who claimed the first spot in the finals. RF Yadir Drake was thrown out trying to score in the top of the second, then Escogido got to David Reyes in the bottom of the inning. LF Franchy Cordero had a one-out double and 3B Marco Hernández singled him in with two away. The next inning, RF Sócrates Brito walked and stole second then CF Junior Lake hit into a run-scoring error by 2B Carlos Sepulveda.

The Mexicans came back in the 4th. After Oscar De La Cruz got the first two outs, 1B Víctor Mendoza singled (one of his 3 hits today) and SS Luis Verdugo walked. Kenny Hernández was summoned to replace De La Cruz, but RF Estevan Florial smacked a 3-run homer for the lead. The Dominicans had a chance to tie it in the 5th but SS Erik González was gunned down at the plate. Drake led off the 6th with a hit off Luis Frías (he would also have a 3-hit contest) and DH Joey Meneses hit into a force. Mendoza and Verdugo singled to make it 4-2. The Dominicans next turned to Emailin Montilla but Florial continued his habit of giving relievers a rude welcome, this time singling. C Ali Solis's sac fly put his team ahead 5-2.

The Dominicans tied it in the 5th when Sasagi Sánchez walked 2B Gustavo Núñez with the bases loaded to force in a run. Mexico then piled it on in the 7th against Alex Colomé and Jefry Yan, with Drake singling in Allen Córdoba, then coming home on an error by Cordero two batters later. Verdugo's two-run double plated both Meneses and Mendoza. By the time the Leones got another run in the 8th, they were well behind and fell by the five-run margin.

Game 12

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Santurce	1	0	1	2	2	0	0	0	0	6	13	2
Jalisco	1	2	2	0	0	0	3	0	0	8	11	0
Win: Gerardo Reyes (1-0) Loss: Derek West (0-1) Save: Trevor Clifton (2)

The hosts needed a comeback in their game to make it the first all-Mexican finals. 1B Yandy Morales would have 4 hits today for Santurce, beginning with a solo homer off Manny Bañuelos in the first. In the bottom of the inning, SS Connor Hollis hit into a two-base error by 3B Emmanuel Rivera; with two outs, he scored when 3B Mateo Gil singled off Chavez Fernander, who got the quick hook. His successor Jordan Morales didn't meet with much more success - in the second, he walked LF Leo Heras then served up a gopher ball to Hollis.

The Cangrejeros pulled back within a run in the 3rd on another solo homer, this time by 2B Gabriel Cancel. David Lebron replaced Jordan Morales in the bottom of the third and the home team got a leadoff hit from 2B Michael Wielansky and a two-run dinger by RF Bligh Madris for a 5-2 lead. It was now Puerto Rico's time for a comeback. Rivera singled to lead off the 4th, C Christian Vázquez had a one-out ground-rule double and Bañuelos's wild pitch put it at 5-3. LF Johneshwy Fargas singled to pull his team within a run.

Santurce took the lead in the 5th. Yohandy Morales and RF Nelson Velázquez had back-to-back one-out singles off Mario Meza, who was replaced by Miguel Aguilar. SS Isan Díaz tied the game with a single and Rivera's sacrifice fly gave the Crabbers a 6-5 edge. Jesús Cruz, Gerardo Reyes, Matt Foster and Trevor Clifton would keep them off the board from the 6th through the 9th, though, each one tossing a scoreless inning. Meanwhile, the Charros got the winning rally in the bottom of the 7th. Wielansky once again kicked things off, singling off Derek West. DH Willie Calhoun and manager's son Gil both singled to tie it. Gabriel Rodriguez relieved and whiffed Madris and 1B Reynaldo Rodríguez but Heras delivered a two-run single for the winning hit.

February 7[edit]

Game 13

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Culiacán	0	0	1	0	6	0	1	0	2	1	11	13	1
Jalisco	0	3	4	2	0	0	1	0	0	2	12	14	1
Win: César Gómez (1-0) Loss: Lupe Chavez (0-1)

11,767 fans turned out to see the finale at Estadio Panamericano de los Charros and they certainly got what they paid for with an exciting conclusion. The Charros' Luis Iván Rodríguez and the Tomateros' Wilmer Ríos got the starting nods. Jalisco threatened in the first, putting men on the corners, but Ríos struck out 3B Mateo Gil to end the threat. In the second, LF Leo Heras started a two-out rally with a walk. C Santiago Chávez and SS Connor Hollis had back-to-back singles (Hollis finished with 4 hits today) to make it 1-0. CF Julian Ornelas walked and 2B Michael Wielansky continued his MVP bid with a two-run single.

Culiacán got one back in the third. LF Estevan Florial and SS Jasson Atondo drew walks from Rodríguez, advanced on a bunt and scored on a grounder by 2B Carlos Sepulveda. Odrisamer Despaigne replaced Ríos in the bottom of the inning but the veteran didn't have his best stuff today. RF Bligh Madris and 1B Reynaldo Rodríguez drew one-out walks and Chávez walked with two away to load the bags. Hollis singled in a pair, chasing Despaigne in favor of Miguel Vazquez. After Hollis stole second, Ornelas singled in two more for a 7-1 lead.

Braulio Torres-Perez became the Tomateros' 4th hurler to open the 4th. Gil singled and Madris homered, giving the hosts a strong 9-1 cushion. Surprisingly, they would need every run of it - and more! The Tomateros almost evened it up in the top of the 5th. Florial and Attondo again got it going, with back-to-back singles. C Alí Solís singled to make it 9-2 and Miguel Aguilar took over for Luis Iván Rodríguez. He got Sepulveda but CF Allen Córdoba doubled in a pair. Aguilar got the second out then gave way to Jesús Cruz but RF Yadir Drake greeted him with a RBI single and it now stood at 9-5. Back-to-back hits by 1B Víctor Mendoza and DH Luis Verdugo (with a Madris error on Mendoza's hit) turned it into a close 9-7 game, far from the lopsided 9-1 contest it had been through four! Florial singled and Attondo walked to load the bases, each reaching for their second time this inning, before Cruz got Solís to escape the inning without any more damage.

After a scoreless inning and a half, Mendoza homered off Gerardo Reyes to tee off the 7th and cut the gap to one, 9-8. In the bottom of the inning, the hosts got a little insurance. Hollis had a two-out single off Sasagi Sánchez and scored on a double by Ornelas. The 8th inning was just the third (and last) of the day to not see a run scored. Jalisco closer Trevor Clifton was called on in the top of the 9th for the save, but he plunked Drake with one out then Mendoza smacked his second dinger in the past three innings, tying the game as his team had erased the 8-run deficit and had now made it 10-10! Clifton got the next two outs but Rafael Cordova (the 6th Tomateros hurler) went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 9th to force extra innings.

In the 10th, Florial began at second base due to the extra innings tiebreaker rule. Atondo bunted him to third and a sacrifice fly by Solís put the Tomateros back in front, 11-10. They got a good shot at another run off Clifton as Sepulveda singled and Córdoba walked. César Gómez came in from the 'pen and balked the runners into scoring position but then got 3B Rodolfo Amador on a fly to keep it a one-run game. In the home half of the inning, Culiacán turned to their 8th pitcher of the game, closer Lupe Chavez. Hollis bunted starting runner Alexis Wilson to third and Cristopher Gastelum pinch-ran. Ornelas drew a full-count walk. Wielansky hit a comebacker and Chavez threw home to get Gastelum, putting men on second and third with his team one out away from a win. He intentionally walked Calhoun, the cleanup man who had been hitless today, to instead face Gil. A wild pitch tied the game and Gil wound up with a walk. Chavez then uncorked a second wild pitch, scoring Wielansky with the game-ending run.

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2026 Caribbean Series

Contents

Final Standings[edit]

Teams[edit]

All-Star Team[edit]

Games[edit]

February 1[edit]

February 2[edit]

February 3[edit]

February 4[edit]

February 5[edit]

February 6[edit]

February 7[edit]

Further Reading[edit]

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