Story by
Dodgers’ Eliezer Alfonzo makes MLB debut hours after learning family didn’t survive Venezuela earthquake
- Story by
- Dodgers’ Eliezer Alfonzo makes MLB debut hours after learning family didn’t survive Venezuela earthquake
The biggest moment of Eliezer Alfonzo's professional career came amid the darkest moment of his personal life.
Ahead of Alfonzo's MLB debut on Sunday, reports from Venezuela confirmed that his stepmother Patricia and 16-year-old little sister Eliana –– who had both been missing in the wake of last month's devastating earthquakes in the country –– had been found dead in the rubble of a collapsed hotel.
Dodgers catcher Eliezer Alfonzo was scheduled to make his major league debut Sunday at Dodger Stadium. Getty Images
Ahead of Alfonzo's debut, reports from Venezuela confirmed that his stepmother Patricia and 16-year-old little sister Eliana had been found dead in the rubble of a collapsed hotel. Instagram/ealfonzomatatan
The news came a day after Alfonzo said his family was still holding out hope of finding the two alive .
Advertisement
"I don't know if I'm gonna see her again or not," Alfonzo told the California Post on Saturday of his sister, whom he said had been as anxious to see him reach the majors as he had. "But I'm pretty sure God's gonna give me the blessing to let her see me play here in the big leagues."
Instead, when the rookie catcher took the field for the first time as a big-leaguer, he honored his late family members by writing "E y P, RIP" on his hat.
Venezuela has been devastated by recent earthquakes. REUTERS
Rescuers work at the site of a collapsed building in the aftermath of the June 24 earthquakes in Venezuela. REUTERS
"I don't really know what to say about it, outside of my heart goes out to him and his family," manager Dave Roberts said before the game. "He is in there. He's going to play today. But obviously, heavy heart is not even justifying. So, yeah, I don't really want to go too far because I'll get emotional. I don't know. I know it's tough. It's very tough."
Advertisement
The 26-year-old son of former MLB veteran catcher Eliezer Alfonzo Sr., Alfonzo had spent almost a decade in the minors awaiting his first big-league opportunity.
A longtime farmhand of the Minnesota Twins who signed with the Dodgers as a minor-league free agent this offseason, Alfonzo's first career call-up came after hitting .313 with Triple-A Oklahoma City this season.
Alfonzo hit .313 for Triple-A Oklahoma City earlier this season before being called up to the Dodgers. Getty Images
Upon arriving in the Dodgers clubhouse on Saturday, he expressed gratitude for the support he had received from the organization and his teammates.
"I'm not gonna lie to you," Alfonzo said. "Last week was probably one of the toughest weeks of my life."
Advertisement
During Sunday's game, veteran teammate and fellow Venezuelan native Miguel Rojas –– whose wife and kids survived the earthquake while staying at a hotel in the capital of Caracas –– also had a message of recognition for the Alfonzo family written on his cap.
The news came a day after Alfonzo said his family was still holding out hope of finding the two alive. instagram/ealfonzomatatan
"I've had the support from the team, from the day that everything happened," Alfonzo said Saturday.
Alfonzo's family had been staying at the Hotel Eduards in Macuto , along Venezuela's northern Atlantic coast, where Eliezer Sr. was managing a game in the Venezuelan league.
While he was already at the ballpark when the June 24 earthquakes hit, Patricia and Eliana were still at the hotel, along with other family members of the team.
Advertisement
For the last week and a half, Eliezer Sr. had overseen a search-and-rescue effort looking for them. On Friday, they were handed a glimmer of hope when their family dog was pulled from the carnage alive.
But then, in the lead-up to Sunday's game, local reports announced that both Alfonzo's stepmom and sister had not survived.
The most heart-wrenching of developments, on what should've been the most celebratory day of his career.
"I know it's difficult with everything that is happening right now," Alfonzo had said the day before. "But at the same time, I got my country, my family, on my heart, on my mind. Everything I do is because of them. So I'm gonna make them proud."
