Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Eliezer Alfonzo had both one of the best and one of the worst days of his life on Sunday. He made his much-awaited Major League Baseball debut just hours after learning his sister and stepmom were killed in the earthquakes in Venezuela.
26-year-old Eliezer Alfonzo found out on Friday that he was being called up to the big leagues. Unfortunately, the fact that his sister, Eliana, and stepmother, Patricia, were missing devastatingly muted that celebration.
“I don’t know if I’m gonna see her again or not,” Alfonzo said, referring to his 16-year-old sister. “But I’m pretty sure God’s gonna give me the blessing to let her see me play here in the big leagues.”
Sadly, he was wrong. Only a few hours before playing in his first MLB game, Eliezer Alfonzo learned that rescuers had found his sister and his stepmother dead in the rubble of a hotel they had been staying at in Venezuela.
Eliezer Alfonzo played the game for his sister
After receiving the horrific news, he said he spoke with his father, who played six seasons in the big leagues, and his brother to figure out what he should do. Alfonzo said they gave him their support and asked him to “go out onto the field and enjoy this day and do it for my sister.”
“Every time I go to the batter’s box, I’ll be thinking about how she would yell from the stands, telling me to hit the ball hard,” he said. “I just wanted to go out there, give my best, for my sister so she could feel proud of me.”
“One of her dreams was watching me play in the big leagues,” Alfonzo said about his sister. “And today I have the opportunity to be here, being part of a big league team.”
Despite going 0-for-2 in his MLB debut, Eliezer Alfonzo appreciated all of the support he received.
“I felt very emotional and very happy when I heard my name announced when I took my first turn to bat, to feel the support from the fans,” he said. “It’s something I appreciated very much and something I’ll always keep in my heart.”