The match of the 65th National Baseball Series between the Cocodrilos de Matanzas and the Huracanes de Mayabeque, scheduled for this Friday at the Nelson Fernández Stadium in San José de las Lajas, was canceled because the Matanzas players did not have water in their accommodation for drinking, bathing, or cooking, according to publications shared on Facebook by the La Banda Yumurina page and in the group Los Cocodrilos de Matanzas.
The Yumurina Band described the situation as follows: "Attention, fans! Our Matanzas Crocodiles are facing difficult conditions in their accommodation due to the supply of water for drinking, bathing, cooking, etc. For this reason, it has been decided to suspend today's game. Tomorrow there will be a doubleheader, provided that conditions improve."
A second publication, signed by Osmani Pedraza Ledón in the group Los Cocodrilos de Matanzas, described the reason as "logistical" issues in the lodging villa without specifying their nature, and stated that the game would be rescheduled to Saturday, October 31, in a doubleheader format starting at 10:00 a.m.
Both publications agree that the double shift on Saturday is not guaranteed; it depends on an improvement in the conditions that led to the suspension.
"What a regrettable situation! Beyond the sports result, the health and well-being of the players should always come first," wrote a team supporter.
"When they declare a forfeit (loser) for the host team in these unfortunate events, such as accommodations, food, among other things, the disrespect towards the fans who support their team, the players who make sacrifices, and the development of the series itself comes to an end, as they will have to adapt to playing doubleheaders with the exhaustion that this entails," stated another commentator, who demanded sports penalties for the host team when minimum conditions are not guaranteed.
"We're not lucky every time we go out to play in another province, especially with how well they're taken care of here in Varadero. My God, first the stomach problems and now no water at all, they’re going to kill me," wrote another fan.
It is not the first time that the crisis of basic services has interrupted Cuban baseball. In November 2025, a blackout at the hotel where the players were staying forced the suspension of a National Series game, which was then rescheduled as a doubleheader the next day starting at 10:00 a.m., the same approach currently being applied in Mayabeque. In May 2026, an outbreak of gastrointestinal issues suspended a game in the Elite League between Artemisa and Las Tunas, and that same month the National Commission canceled all youth championships due to the energy crisis.
To try to reduce the impact of these issues, the authorities reduced the schedule of the 65th National Baseball Series from 75 to 44 games per team, divided the tournament into geographic zones, and centralized the accommodation of visitors in a single hotel per province. Despite these measures, the problems continue.
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