Recognition Where Recognition Is Due

Image Credit: Joel Rodriguez/Latino Sports

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO — As we watch and enjoy this latest edition of the World Baseball Classic, fans have had the opportunity to see, learn, and appreciate many players they may not have known much about before. Much of the coverage understandably focuses on the established superstars who bring global attention to the game. Yet, as is often the case in baseball—and in life—there are many stories that receive far less attention but are equally worthy of being told.

One such story belongs to Cuban ballplayer Alexei Ramírez, currently playing for Cuba’s National Baseball Team.

Ramírez, a native of Pinar del Río, left his homeland years ago to pursue baseball’s biggest stage in the United States. In 2007, he signed a four-year, $8 million contract with the Chicago White Sox, where he would go on to play some of the best seasons of his career.

During his time in Chicago, Ramírez earned two Silver Slugger Award honors, was selected to the Major League Baseball All‑Star Game, and became a beloved figure in the South Side community. In a neighborhood rich with Latino culture—including many Puerto Rican fans—Ramírez became more than a player; he became part of the city’s baseball fabric. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillén famously nicknamed him “The Cuban Missile,” a reference to his tall, lean frame, blazing speed, and powerful throwing arm.

After eight memorable seasons in Chicago, Ramírez had brief stops with the San Diego Padres and the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016. Then, as far as many fans knew, he simply disappeared from the American baseball spotlight.

But Alexei Ramírez did something extraordinary—something almost unheard of.

He returned to Cuba.

In a rare turn of events, Ramírez went back to the country of his birth and rejoined Cuban baseball on the island. For decades, Cuban players who left to pursue careers in Major League Baseball were rarely able to return home to play again. Yet Ramírez found a way to reconnect with his roots, his people, and the game that first shaped him.

Today, in 2026, at 44-years-old, Alexei Ramírez is in San Juan once again wearing the uniform of the Cuban National Team—the same team he represented 20 years ago in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. In that tournament, he batted .312 and played a major role in Cuba’s victory over Puerto Rico, helping send Cuba to the championship game against Japan.

When we first heard Alexei’s story from a colleague in New York, we knew we had to do what Latino Sports has always done—stand up and recognize our athletes.

Yes, the headlines are filled with names like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and Aaron Judge. These are extraordinary players who deserve every bit of attention they receive. But sometimes the game forgets the warriors who continue playing simply for the love of baseball. A 44-year-old still competing at the international level is not just a story—it is a testament to perseverance.

And yet, stories connected to Cuba are too often ignored or framed only through politics rather than humanity.

So we moved mountains to arrange an interview with Alexei. The Cuban delegation travels with heavy security, a reflection of the complicated and often unfair political realities that continue to surround Cuba and its athletes. But persistence—and respect—opens doors.

Not only did we interview Alexei Ramírez, we also honored him.

Latino Sports presented him with two awards: a certificate recognizing the significance of his career and an artistic painting celebrating his baseball legacy. He was appreciative, but when he received the artwork, he was genuinely surprised and deeply grateful.

I told him about Latino Sports—how since 1989 we have worked to uplift Latino athletes and tell the stories others overlook. I told him this recognition came from our communities in Puerto Rico and New York, from people who understand the sacrifices we have been through to be recognized.

“We wanted you to have something to take back to Cuba,” I told him.

Ramírez is a man of few words, but his response said everything. “I appreciate this. Thank you.”

Sometimes gratitude does not need long speeches. His eyes and his energy said the rest.

As Bad Bunny recently reminded the world:

Love is stronger than hate.

And in baseball—as in life—the most powerful thing we can offer each other is recognition, respect, and love.

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