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The Wall Street Journal: MLB prohibits its players from participating in Venezuela’s winter league

Major League Baseball is suspending players from participating in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League this winter as it seeks clarification on how to comply with the U.S.-imposed economic embargo against the government of Venezuela, several people familiar with the matter said. Read More...

Major League Baseball is suspending players from participating in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League this winter as it seeks clarification on how to comply with the U.S.-imposed economic embargo against the government of Venezuela, several people familiar with the matter said.

The prohibition applies to major-league and minor-league players, these people said. The ruling won’t prevent Venezuelan players from returning to their home country in the off-season. MLB began informing teams of its decision on Thursday.

This month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order freezing all assets from the government of President Nicolás Maduro and prohibiting transactions with it, unless specifically exempted. Venezuela’s baseball league, known as Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional in Spanish, is heavily sponsored by Petróleos de Venezuela SA, the state-owned oil company.

MLB’s 30 teams featured 68 Venezuelan players on their opening-day rosters this season, in addition to dozens more throughout the minor leagues. More than 400 Venezuelans — including Hall-of-Fame shortstop Luis Aparicio and modern superstar Miguel Cabrera — have played in MLB, more than any foreign country besides the Dominican Republic.

Venezuelans make up the majority of LVBP’s eight teams, though players from other countries play in the league every year, mostly MLB prospects in search of extra seasoning in the winter. Boston Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez, for instance, played for the Leones del Caracas before the 2014 season, the same year Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson played for the Cardenales de Lara. Participation by American players — and top Venezuelan stars — has dwindled in recent years as unrest in the country has grown.

An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.

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