Guantanamo.- The 2026 National Baseball Series will feature a new format. The teams will be divided into two zones—the Eastern Zone and the Western Zone—with each zone split into two groups.
Each team will play 44 regular-season games. The tournament will run from October 4 through December 22.
The Western Zone will include Pinar del Río, Artemisa, Isla de la Juventud, and Industriales in Group A, and Mayabeque, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, and Villa Clara in Group B.
The Eastern Zone will include Sancti Spíritus, Ciego de Ávila, Camagüey, and Las Tunas in Group C, and Holguín, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo in Group D.
During the regular season, each team will face the other teams in its group 24 times and the teams in the other group within its zone 20 times, for a total of 44 games.
At the end of the qualifying phase, the top four teams from each zone will advance to the zonal playoffs. These will be best-of-three series played at the home stadium of the higher-seeded team.
The national championship will be decided by a best-of-seven series between the Eastern and Western Zone champions, with home-field advantage determined according to the competition regulations.
The number of games in this edition will be significantly lower than the 75 or more games played in previous seasons. The change reflects the seriousness of the current situation in the country—a situation that has also affected sports.
Like the rest of Cuban society, baseball has faced significant challenges this year. The national Under-12, Under-15, and Under-18 championships were suspended because of the energy crisis, while the fourth Elite League was played in a reduced format amid limited resources.
To avoid canceling the country’s main baseball event, the Cuban Baseball Federation announced the new format at a press conference. The federation will initially cover the cost of purchasing fuel for the tournament. That expense is expected to be recovered through sponsorships, with the proceeds reinvested in fuel purchases to help ensure the competition continues.
The Indios Prepare for the Guantánamo Tournament
The Indios of Guantánamo face a major challenge. The team finished last in both defense and pitching and ranked third from last in batting during the previous tournament.
In an interview with *Venceremos*, Indios manager Jesús “Chucho” Ruiz said that the teams are on an equal footing and predicted a strong start. He said the team already has a strategy and pitching rotation in place and explained that the necessary adjustments would be made in the coming weeks to improve key areas of their game.
“We started training in April. We’ve had our ups and downs because of various issues, including viral illnesses that have affected us, but so far we’re sticking to our plan,” he said.
– What role will the veteran hitters play?
– “It was my decision for the veteran players to have a fundamental role during my first year. They are still in their prime, and their experience will be crucial in this competition. We have to know how to use players such as Caciquito, Baró, Robert Luis Delgado, Escalante, and the other veterans, making the most of their qualities for the benefit of the team.”
– How will you organize the bullpen?
– “We already have a plan for how the pitchers will be used. We initially planned to have a five-man starting rotation, but during the first stage we will work with four starters. The fifth pitcher will serve as a ‘floater’ and can be called upon if one of his teammates has a poor outing.
– “I have more or less decided on the two closers. We still need to identify a few pitchers who can serve as backups, but we are currently making those adjustments.”
– What are your expectations for the upcoming National Series?
– “The players are focused on the National Series. They know that qualifying is our only option, and that is our goal. We cannot focus on winning 20 or 21 games; our objective is to qualify.”
