In a world as competitive as ours, especially in sports, every athlete has a guiding light that inspires them. Whether it be an incident or a person. For Manny Machado, that inspiration comes in the form of the legendary Nelson Cruz. The San Diego Padres sensation is going to represent the Dominican Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, and he couldn’t be more thrilled – especially since his old mentor, Nelson Cruz, has signed on as the team’s manager.

The two first crossed paths years ago, and Manny remembers the encounter like it was yesterday. As he tells it, he was just a wide-eyed rookie, and he was immediately put at ease by the warmth and kindness emanating from Cruz. 

Manny Machado recounted a story about Nelson Cruz 

To Machado, Cruz is more than just a former teammate. “The first time the Orioles called me to play in MLB in 2012, one of our first trips was to Texas. I had met Nelson Cruz a few years before. He is aware of all the young Latino players. He is a great mentor. We call him Dad,” Hector Gomez shared Machado’s words (quotes translated via google translate).

Manny’s special and fond memory of Cruz occurred during his early days with the Baltimore Orioles. When the team traveled to Texas for a game, Manny was surprised to find a feast of traditional Latino food waiting for him in his locker, “When we got to Texas and went into the locker room, they had left food in my locker: rice and beans, chicken, plantains… good food. I asked one of the locker room workers who the food was for. He told me it was for me. And I asked him who had brought it. He told me that it had been Nelson Cruz. The next day, there was more food. This time, rice with beans and meat. And of course, he did not forget the plantains.”

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Therefore, from that moment on, Cruz became someone important to Manny. “It was an incredible gesture from Nelson to go out of his way like that to welcome me and make me feel comfortable. He is the kindest and most generous person you could ever meet. He is Dad. And that’s what we do: We are one big family and we take care of each other.”

This is what he said about playing alongside the veteran yet again, “And I’m even more excited to play with him and represent our country in the World Classic.”

Who else is on the Dominican Republic roster?

With a roster carefully crafted by the mastermind Nelson Cruz, the lineup includes Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Luis Garcia, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Rafael Devers, and Julio Rodriguez. 

On the mound, Sandy Alcantara and Cristian Javier will wreak havoc. Well, it seems like the World Baseball Classic is shaping up to be an incredible tournament!

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Do you think this Dominican Republic team has good enough talents to win the WBC this year? Tell us your views in the comments section below!