When the Houston Astros defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2017 World Series, Jeremy Peña was in College. The Dominican-born infielder moved to the United States with his family as a nine-year-old and attended the University of Maine. The Houston Astros selected him in the third round of the 2018 draft.
Peña started his professional career within an organization that served as a model. Two years later, a report by The Athletic documented how the Astros had cheated by using videos to steal their opponent's signs during the 2017 World Series. It resulted in a Major League Baseball (MLB) Investigation. Manager A. J. Hinch was fired. MLB fined the club and made the Astros forfeit first and second-round draft picks.
The Astros kept their World Series title. The media and the baseball world have sharply criticized MLB's decision.
Peña starred at the Class A Advanced level in 2019. His career then suffered a setback. He didn't play during the 2020 season as the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the minor league season, and underwent wrist surgery in 2021.
He played in the Dominican Winter League 2021-22, earning a gold glove award. He became the Astros' 2022 starting shortstop during Spring Training and earned the 2022 World Series MVP honours. Peña went 10-for-25, a 400 batting average, with one home run and three RBIs.
Veteran first baseman Yuli Gurriel is one of the five players who were on the roster in 2017. The other are second baseman Jose Altuve, third baseman Alex Bregman, and pitchers Lance McCullers Jr., and Justin Verlander.
Gurriel led Cuba to a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He was their starting second baseman. He has moved to first in the US, but his hitting ability hasn't decreased. He posted a .216 batting average during the World Series.
Manager Dusty Baker, 73, had never won a World Series title as a manager. A former All-Star outfielder, he was on the 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers when legendary Tom Lasorda led them to a World Series title.
Baker earned his nickname Dusty from his mother in the 1950s since he loved playing in dusty spots. Over the years, the world of baseball forgot his name is Johnnie B.
Baker is a three-time recipient of the Manager of the Year Award (1993, 1997, 2000) whose career seemed over after he experienced heart problems in 2012 while he managed the Cincinnati Reds. He has managed the Astros since 2000.
Dominican pitcher Framber Valdez, 29, signed as an international free agent for the Astros in 2015. He received a modest US$10,000 signing bonus. Valdez made his MLB debut in 2018. His salary was at the minimum MLB wage until he won arbitration and received an upgrade to US$3 million in March 2022. Valdez earned two of the four World Series wins and celebrated by donating US$100,000 to build a new church in his hometown Palenque.
An estimated crowd of nearly 2 million raucous fans lined a 1.7-mile stretch of Smith Street in downtown Houston on Monday afternoon for the championship parade to celebrate the Astros.
