Free to play for Mexico

Tampa Bay Rays Cuban outfielder Randy Arozarena has already obtained Mexican citizenship, the only legal obstacle he had pending, in his plans to play with the “Tri” baseball jersey in the next World Baseball Classic.

“I became a Mexican citizen, thank God. I am already one of them,” said Arozarena.

“I thank Mexico for receiving me. I feel that I represent Mexicans in the Major Leagues and I would like to represent the [Mexican] colors in next year’s World Classic,” added the ballplayer.

Arozarena left Cuba on a boat in June 2015 and settled in Mérida, Mexico, where he was signed by the U.S. Major League Baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals 13 months later, and is the birthplace of his daughter. Since then, he has publicly preached his appreciation for Mexico and his intentions to play for his national team.

The fifth version of the World Baseball Classic, the only event of nations in which Major League Baseball players participate, was scheduled to be held in March 2021, but was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The tournament that recognizes the world champion in the highest level of baseball was rescheduled for March 2023.

A player is eligible to participate in a World Baseball Classic ensemble if he is a citizen of the nation represented by the team or is qualified for citizenship or to hold a passport under the laws of a nation represented by a team or is a legal permanent resident of the nation or territory represented by a team.

Arozarena made his major league debut with St. Louis in 2019, but rose to international fame with the Rays in the 2020 postseason, when he hit 10 home runs and was the Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros. He hit three of his home runs in the World Series, but could not prevent the Rays from falling to the favored Los Angeles Dodgers.

In his quest to obtain Mexican citizenship, Arozarena publicly addressed the country’s president, Manuel López Obrador, in February of last year, during a live conversation on his Instagram account. Weeks later, the president commented on the player’s situation.

“This is a Cuban-born baseball player, who was in Mexico, then went to the Major Leagues and participated in the last World Series; he stood out because he broke batting records. A baseball phenomenon, it seems that he is married or has family in Mexico and he wants to have Mexican nationality, to represent us”, said López Obrador during a meeting with the media.

“We are going to ask Francisco Garduño, who is the director of Migration, to get in communication with him and see him. As I like baseball, I can tell you that I haven’t seen such an effective hitter as Arozarena for a long time,” added the Mexican president.

“They [the leaders of the Mexican baseball federation] have communicated with me, they are only waiting for my papers, which thank God have already been issued, and now I am just waiting for the tournament to arrive so I can be with them,” said Arozarena.

“That has been my goal since I arrived in Mexico. I set the goal of representing Mexico in the World Classic and I hope it will be fulfilled in the next one,” added the 27-year-old player.