The Cardinals have stepped into Venezuela relief efforts, and several of the club’s ties to the country have made the response feel personal.
More than 4,700 people have tragically passed away due to earthquakes in Venezuela, and the organization’s Venezuelan connection runs deep. Cardinals catcher Yohel Pozo and Pedro Pagés are both natives of the country, while former Cardinal Willson Contreras is also Venezuelan and has spoken openly about how heavily the situation has weighed on him.
Contreras recently took part in the MLB Home Run Derby and delivered a strong showing. He didn’t win, but he led the first round with 13 home runs and sent one 490 feet.
When asked in an interview what he wanted to say to people back home, Contreras answered:
“I love them. My heart is with them.
I know that I’m here physically, but I always think of them. I’m trying to help the best way I can.
It’s really tough what we’ve been through, but you know what, Venezuela’s gonna be big again.”
Pagés has also spoken out, recently appearing on Cardinals Care and encouraging others to support his home country during such a devastating stretch.
The Cardinals have joined the relief push, with the team saying a portion of every single-game ticket sale from this weekend would be donated to Convoy of Hope to help provide immediate relief resources in Venezuela and support long-term recovery. The club also said a portion of ticket sales from the Braves series was donated to Convoy of Hope, and that a portion of all proceeds from single-game tickets sold on Saturday and Sunday - not just for those games, but for the rest of the season - will go to the organization in support of earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela.
Convoy of Hope, based in Springfield, Missouri, is already working on the ground in Venezuela, helping families get food, shelter, water, and other necessities.
The list of Venezuelan stars in baseball is long: Luis Aparicio, David Concepción, Ozzie Guillén, Omar Vizquel, Bobby Abreu, Magglio Ordóñez, Johan Santana, Miguel Cabrera, Francisco Rodríguez, and Félix Hernández all came from the country and left their mark on the game.
Thousands of Venezuelans remain displaced, unhoused, hungry, and without basic necessities. The Cardinals’ donation window has closed, but there are still other ways to give.
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