Yordanis Alarcón, the most iconic player of the Leñadores de Las Tunas, has been left out of the team roster for the 65th National Baseball Series due to a reason unrelated to the sport: he has been waiting for over five years for provincial authorities to resolve the exchange of his home, and after disagreeing with the proposal offered to him, he decided not to rejoin the green and red team.
The provincial baseball commissioner, José Luis Rodríguez Pérez, confirmed the news in a press conference this week at the Julio Antonio Mella stadium, where the preliminary roster of 32 players was presented.
According to the executive, Alarcón "was waiting for a swap of his housing and did not agree with the proposal made to him by local authorities."
According to the sports journalist Pavel Otero, the baseball player had been promised a property that met all the decent living conditions.
However, it seems that the house changed ownership, and then they offered him "a space with four walls in very poor condition."
"He is requesting it because the location and height of his home are causing serious health problems for his family. His wife has already lost two pregnancies due to the issue with the stairs. Therefore, he needs to live on the ground floor for the stability and happy upbringing of his future children, as well as for the health of his wife," Otero emphasized.
The case illustrates a reality that affects millions of Cubans: the chronic housing deficit and the limitations of the swapping system, which is one of the few available mechanisms for changing residence on the island.
That a figure of Alarcón's stature, having defended the tuneros' colors for 24 seasons, has been unable to resolve his situation in five years speaks volumes.
Alarcón made his debut with Las Tunas in the 40th National Series (2000-2001) and has been a central figure in the team's titles in Series 58 (2019), 62 (2023), and 63 (2024), as well as the runner-up finishes in Series 57 (2018) and 64 (2025).
In December 2025, he reached 2,000 hits in Cuban tournaments, becoming the second player from Tunero to achieve this, with a cumulative line of .308/.350/.416, over 2,083 hits, 318 doubles, 118 home runs, and 1,020 RBIs.
The bench coach, Ángel Sosa, acknowledged the impact of the loss: "We will need to function more as a team to not feel Yordanis' absence. We have to improve in several aspects of the game to score runs."
Alongside Alarcón, the pitcher Yoelkis Cruz Jr. will also not be participating, as he requested his release to care for his mother, nor will Leandro Cañada, who does not meet the physical requirements following an injury.
As a counterbalance, the return of outfielder Yunieski Larduet from Mexico and the addition of infielder Henry Quintero provide options for an offense that will need to reinvent itself.
Due to the loss of the power factor represented by Alarcón, the coaching staff led by Abeyci Pantoja is focusing on speed on the bases and building runs as a central strategy.
The team has an average age of 26 years and arrives at Series 65 as the runner-up of Cuba.
The 65th National Series will kick off on October 4 with a new zonal format. Las Tunas is in Group C of the eastern zone along with Sancti Spíritus, Ciego de Ávila, and Camagüey.
Despite the losses, Commissioner Rodríguez Pérez appeared confident: "This is a team that knows how to rise to the occasion. We believe in what we want, and we are sure that the Leñadores will continue to fight."
The situation of Alarcón is not unique among baseball players. This year, it was also reported that Yadián Martínez, the main pitcher for the Huracanes de Mayabeque team, has been waiting for several years for a home that the provincial authorities promised him but never completed.
Six years ago, a plot of land was granted to him to build his house, but the photographs accompanying a report of his case on social media show a concrete block structure without a roof, with weeds growing inside, exposed metal rods, and without doors or windows: a stalled construction that has not progressed.
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