Winter Leagues Coverage | Update on La Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente

(Photo Credit: Yamaira Muñiz via Twitter)

     Due to the significant damage sustained across the entirety of the island of Puerto Rico, the LBPRC Board of Directors have agreed to a an abbreviated itinerary for the 2017-2018 winter league season.

     According to league President Héctor Rivera Cruz during a press conference, the season will no longer begin on November 15th, 2017 as previously scheduled. Instead, league play will now begin on January 6th, 2018 as a 21 game schedule. Teams will play single games on Thursdays and Fridays at 1:30 PM, and 7 inning doubleheaders on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 1:00 PM with the 2nd game starting twenty minutes after the first. Due to significant damage to Roberto Clemente Stadium, the Gigantes De Carolina will not play this season.

    The team that finishes in 1st place will gain an automatic spot into the championship game. The teams that finish 2nd and 3rd will participate in a one game sudden death with the winner moving on to play the 1st place team. All games will be played during the day in order to limit the amount of power draw that each game requires as to not interrupt recovery efforts. In addition, all games will be FREE to the public as a way to give back to the community. Under this abbreviated schedule, the league is expected to finish either January 30th or 31st, 2018.

     Due to the significant late start to the season and the fact that the other 3 Caribbean League regular seasons will already be completed, players committed to Puerto Rico based teams will be allowed to play in other Caribbean leagues, but will be required to return by January 1st. In addition, they will only be able to participate for Team Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series once it begins on February 2nd, 2018.

   Mets Players who will be affected by this situation include, but are not limited to, Chasen Bradford, Phillip Evans, Nabil Crismatt, T.J. Rivera, and Seth Lugo.