Burdened by heartbreaking updates from his home country of Venezuela, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 26-year-old rookie played what was potentially the toughest game of his life. Hours before his first big league game, Eliezer Alfonzo learned that the bodies of his sister and stepmother had been found beneath the debris left behind by the twin earthquakes. Despite the unimaginable circumstances, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stood firmly behind him.

“I don’t really know what to say about it, outside of my heart goes out to him and his family,” Roberts said before Sunday’s game, per Jack Harris of California Post. “I don’t really want to go too far [into it], because I’ll get emotional. I know it’s tough. Very tough.”

The twin earthquakes of June 24 in Venezuela have left widespread devastation in the country, as they claimed hundreds of lives in La Guaira and Caracas, the two most affected areas. People from all walks of life are navigating tragedy in Venezuela, including multiple baseball players. The earthquakes took the life of Deisy Tovar, wife of former MLB player Gorkys Hernandez. The catastrophe also struck Victor Bericoto’s family; his brother’s girlfriend died in the earthquake.

With rescue work underway, more tragic updates are emerging from the rubble in Venezuela. Alfonzo’s 16-year-old sister, Eliana, and his stepmother had been missing since the earthquakes struck.

On Sunday, Alfonzo remained hitless in his two at-bats during the Padres’ 5-2 victory over the World Series champions. The catcher came to bat in the third inning but was grounded out to shortstop. In fact, he even received a heartfelt standing ovation from the Dodger Stadium crowd before his very first at-bat. His next at-bat came in the sixth, when he flied out to center.

From his position behind the plate, the catcher also activated an ABS challenge in the fourth, but it was ultimately incorrect. Just two pitches later, he watched an 86-mph slider pass through the strike zone and wasted no time jogging back to the dugout, even as Xander Bogaerts challenged the umpire’s decision. The longtime minor leaguer remained certain that the five-time Silver Slugger was mistaken.

After the game, Alfonzo spoke in Spanish for most of his postgame press conference, switching to English for one moment. He shared that three weeks earlier, his sister had told him that she had a beautiful dream.

“I’m pretty sure the dream was something about this; I wish she was alive to watch me play in the big leagues,” he said, as posted by Dodgers Nation on X.

After beginning his professional career in 2017 in the Detroit Tigers’ farm system, Alfonzo spent nearly a decade in the minor leagues before finally earning his call-up. Now, he has a locker next to Dodgers star and fellow Venezuelan Miguel Rojas.

This season, Alfonzo was slashing .313/.392/.422 across 49 games in Triple-A Oklahoma before his MLB debut. The Dodgers added him to their system during the offseason; he was playing for Triple-A Toledo before. Across 581 minor league games, the 26-year-old has hit 32 home runs and 283 RBIs.

Alfonzo is a second-generation MLB player. His father, Eliezer Alfonzo Sr., played in the major leagues from 2006 to 2011, representing the San Francisco Giants, Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners, and San Diego Padres.

While the box score will forever record his first appearance in the majors, what truly defined the day was the courage he showed by stepping onto the field while carrying the weight of his family’s tragedy.