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Dodgers send message to Venezuelan rookie who debuted amid family tragedy
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- Dodgers send message to Venezuelan rookie who debuted amid family tragedy
On the same day he made his major league debut, Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Eliezer Alfonzo was dealt devastating news.
Reports out of Venezuela indicated his sister, Eliana, and stepmother, Patricia, were discovered among the deceased in a hotel that collapsed as a result of two magnitude-7 earthquakes in their homeland. The death toll has reportedly climbed past 3,000 .
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"The Dodgers wish to express their deepest condolences to catcher Eliezer Alfonzo, Jr. for the passing of his sister Eliana and stepmother Patricia in the devastating earthquake in Venezuela," the team said in a statement posted to its Twitter/X account on July 5. "Our hearts go out to his family in this tragic loss."
Search and rescue efforts had yet to reveal their fate when Alfonzo was promoted to Los Angeles ' MLB roster for the first time on July 4 . Alfonzo's father, the former major league catcher of the same name, has been on the ground since the earthquakes rocked the country .
The younger Alfonzo spoke to reporters about the situation after the game at Dodger Stadium. He said he made the decision to play to honor his sister and stepmother.
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"Three weeks ago, (Eliana) had a beautiful dream, but she wasn't going to tell me until the dream came true," Alfonzo told reporters, including Katie Woo of The Athletic . "I'm pretty sure the dream was something about this.
"I wish she was alive to watch me play in the big leagues."
The Dodgers signed Alfonzo to a minor league contract after he reached Triple-A for the first time with the Detroit Tigers in 2025.
MORE: Venezuela earthquakes rattle MLB stars on Giants, Braves, Dodgers, Brewers
In his first spring training with the Dodgers, Alfonzo went 9-for-36 (.250) with three doubles in 15 Cactus League games. He was slashing .313/.392/.422 in 49 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City when his contract was selected prior to the Dodgers' July 4 game against the San Diego Padres .
The Dodgers were left short one catcher when three-time All-Star Will Smith was felled by a neck injury in June.
