Spanish
Miami — The captain of the Dominican Republic baseball team, Manny Machado, assured that the objective of the Quisqueyan team in the 2026 World Baseball Classic has been clear from day one: to compete to the fullest regardless of the opponent.
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"The message for the whole team from day one was that. All teams are the same, no matter who is in front of us or who we are playing against; the important thing is to play our game," Machado expressed. The stellar third baseman highlighted that, in addition to talent, emotional intelligence and empathy among the players have been key factors in maintaining harmony within the team. Machado also valued the presence of young talents like Junior Caminero, who has had an outstanding start in the tournament and whom he considers a player with a promising future. "It's the first time I've played with him on the same field. He's a kid who wants to learn, he loves the ball and asks me a lot of questions about defense and batting. He's young and very talented; he has a very bright future," he pointed out. The Dominican captain explained that one of his main goals as a leader is to maintain trust and a good atmosphere within the group so that each player can perform to the maximum. "To win you need leaders, and on this team we have many. We are 26 leaders ready for battle every night," he affirmed. Machado also highlighted that the most important thing for the Dominican team is that each player feels comfortable and prepared to contribute to the common goal. "At the end of the day we want to win. That's the most important thing," he concluded.
