In this sixth week of the knockout round that begins today, the eight competing clubs will reach 28 matches, that is, half of the 56 games that make up the structure of the regular calendar, so in the offices of each of the teams they do movements with the idea of ensuring their advancement to the next instance.
For these remaining six weeks there will be important adjustments to payrolls. For example, Leones del Caracas and Águilas del Zulia are preparing to add very important pieces to their rosters.
The long-haired defending champions hope to have catcher Freddy Fermín and pitcher Jhoulys Chacín starting today.
Fermín, Rookie of the Year in the previous edition, has just played for the second year in the Major Leagues with the Kansas City Royals. Due to a broken finger, he missed the last month of the season, but he is now fully recovered, eager to help the long-haired team with which he became bat champion in the 2022-23 edition by leaving a .404 average (from 166-67 ) with 38 runs scored, four homers and 28 RBIs in 45 games.
In addition to Fermín, today pitcher Jhoulys Chacín will be under the command of manager José Alguacil, who reappeared with the Lions during the last tournament after four years of absence and won four games in the postseason. At 35 years of age, after a nine-month break, Chacín can strengthen Caracas’ pitching in the second part of the campaign.
Zulia with more depth
The Eagles, for their part, will be strengthened in defense and attack with the additions of two players with proven solvency in the circuit, such as outfielder José Pirela and shortstop Freddy Galvis.
Pirela has not played in the LVBP since the 2017-18 competition. In the last four years he has been on the Asian circuits of Japan and Korea in which he hit more than 80 home runs and surpassed 300 RBIs.
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Falconian Galvis, 34 years old, played in the Japanese league with the Fukuoka Falcons in 2022 and 2023. He reappears with the Zulian team after leaving five seasons.
