Santo Domingo.- Rafael Devers, Major League star, will return to the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) with the Leones del Escogido for the 2025-2026 season and will also be part of the Dominican team in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
This was revealed by Ángel “Aroboy” Santana, special assistant to the general manager of Escogido, during an interview on Diamante el Podcast, along with journalists William Aish, Baudilio Jiménez, Pedro Briceño, Bienvenido Carmona Jr. and Josué Batista.
“Él va a jugar en la liga de invierno. Me dijo: ‘Aroboy, espérenme allá’. Él va para el Clásico y viene a ponerse ready para acá”,
contó Santana sobre su conversación con Devers.
Devers hasn’t played in Dominican winter ball since the 2015-2016 season, when he participated in 13 games with the Leones. His return generates high expectations, especially after Escogido’s championship in January 2025, which broke a ten-year title drought.
That historic triumph featured figures like Junior Caminero, Socrates Brito, Jean Segura and manager Albert Pujols, in addition to the work of people like Santana, who has been linked to the team since 2022.
Santana also took the opportunity to clarify that, despite rumors of tensions, the relationship between Devers and the manager of the Boston Red Sox, Alex Cora, is excellent. “Everyone is wrong. They get along too well,” he said.
Devers’ possible return to the LIDOM and his participation in the Classic reaffirm the commitment of great Dominican figures to local and international baseball.
