The manager of the Cuban baseball team, Germán Mesa, gave statements to journalist Pavel Otero following the three consecutive victories of the team in the preliminary round of the Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026, where the team advanced undefeated to the Super Round.
The team defeated Curaçao 4-1 on July 31, Puerto Rico 4-0 on August 1, and overcame the Dominican Republic 9-6 in extra innings on Sunday. With this perfect record, Cuba keeps the dream of gold alive in a tournament where it has not claimed the title since Veracruz 2014.
For Mesa, the most significant achievement of this stage is not reflected in the scoreboard, but in the atmosphere within the group. "We have made this team a family. It's been a long time since this kind of internal harmony was achieved in a national baseball team," stated the manager, who added that "for the first time in many years, there is a different vibe in the dugout."
The captain Yoelkis Guibert and the catcher Andrys Pérez were identified by Mesa as key pieces in that cohesion. However, the manager himself confirmed that Pérez was injured during the tournament: "Unfortunately, he got injured now. Let's see how he evolves."
Regarding the management of pitching—one of the most discussed aspects of his management—Mesa explained that each pitcher has a defined role depending on the moment of the game. "We have defined the pitchers who are starters; those who come in when we are ahead in the score; those who relieve when the game is tied; and those who come in when we are behind on the scoreboard. We are not working at random," he emphasized.
The manager also defended his decision to keep pitcher Andy Vargas on the mound during a challenging inning against the Dominican Republic, despite the fact that the pitcher issued a walk with four control problems. "We have to give the players the confidence they need, and we can't give them the impression that we are desperate," he explained, summarizing his philosophy with a phrase: "When things get tough, the one who remains calm is invincible."
When asked about the rivals in the super round —Panama, Colombia, and Nicaragua— Mesa was clear that the biggest obstacle is already behind them. "I believe the team to beat here was the Dominican Republic. The hosts have shown up with a very strong roster. However, there are no small opponents here. All rivals are tough," he warned.
Mesa was appointed director of the national team in June 2025 with a contract until 2028, and he had already managed Cuba in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. As a player, he was a star shortstop for Industriales during 16 National Series, nicknamed "The Magician" or "The Magnet."
Cuba has accumulated 15 historic gold medals in baseball at the Central American and Caribbean Games, but it has settled for silver in the last two editions —Barranquilla 2018 and San Salvador 2023. The super round begins this Tuesday and runs until Thursday, with the medal finals scheduled for Friday.
"I have no complaints. I am completely satisfied so far. We are winning, and the family we have built is working," Mesa concluded.
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