{"id":32891,"date":"2019-08-24T22:23:38","date_gmt":"2019-08-24T22:23:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/08\/24\/mlb-bans-players-from-venezuelan-winter-league\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:29:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:29:42","slug":"mlb-bans-players-from-venezuelan-winter-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2019\/08\/24\/mlb-bans-players-from-venezuelan-winter-league\/","title":{"rendered":"MLB bans players from Venezuelan Winter League"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NEW YORK \u2014 Major League Baseball is banning players from participating in the Venezuelan Winter League<\/a> in one of the first public repercussions of new U.S. economic sanctions against the Venezuelan government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MLB said Thursday it is in contact with the U.S. government to determine how to proceed under the new sanctions against President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a>\u2019s administration and at least temporarily suspending involvement in the league.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Venezuelan Winter League is one many that major league players use to hone their skills in the off-season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMLB will fully adhere to the policies implemented by our government,\u201d MLB announced in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Donald Trump’s administration issued a broad ban blocking companies and individuals from doing business with Maduro’s socialist government earlier this month, putting the nation on a short list of U.S. adversaries \u2014 including Cuba, North Korea and Iran \u2014 targeted with such aggressive financial measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
n this Nov. 27, 2013, photo, Anthony DeFrancesco, center, son of Tiburones head coach Tony DeFrancesco, left, practices his baseball swing as his father speaks with a player prior to a baseball game against rival Leones, at Estadio Universitario in Caracas. (Fernando Llano\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Wall Street Journal reported that MLB\u2019s decision also applies to minor league players, but it won\u2019t prevent Venezuelan players from returning home during the off-season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venezuela has long served as an important incubator for big league talent, but in recent years the relationship has steadily deteriorated amid a political crisis and economic contraction far worse than the Great Depression. MLB teams have shut down their academies in Venezuela and no longer send scouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teams of young, aspiring Venezuelan baseball players now regularly rely on Venezuelan MLB stars to help finance trips to compete in championships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, known as PDVSA, has been a major sponsor of the nation’s professional baseball league. The Trump administration also sanctioned PDVSA earlier this year as part of a continuing effort to starve the Maduro administration of cash and support opposition leader Juan Guaid\u00f3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Venezuelan league did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\t