Sunday is the final day of the 2025-26 Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente regular season in Puerto Rico.
Each of the LBPRC’s six clubs plays 40 games during the regular season, and the top four teams qualify for the postseason.
All roads lead to the Caribbean Series in Guadalajara, Mexico. Only one team will have the chance to represent Puerto Rico in February.
Postseason Bracket – At 26-13 and just one game remaining on their schedule, the Cangrejeros de Santurce clinched a first-place finish in the LBPRC. They’ll conclude their regular season with a matchup against the Senadores de San Juan on Sunday.
At 23-16, the Leones de Ponce are guaranteed a second-place finish. They will finish their season against the Indios de Mayaguez. The Leones’ pitching staff leads the league with a 2.77 ERA across 344 2/3 innings.
The Gigantes de Carolina (20-19) and the Criollos de Caguas (19-20) are neck-and-neck for the third seed. The Gigantes can clinch with a victory at Estadio Yldefonso Solá Morales in Caguas. The Criollos need to win to force a tie breaker, determined by head-to-head record during the regular season.
No matter the outcome of their respective contests on Sunday, the Indios (18-21) and Senadores (11-28) will miss the postseason.
MVP Race – Let’s start with Indios third baseman Emmanuel Rivera, who leads the LBPRC with a .343 batting average, 47 hits, and is tied for second with 20 RBIs.
Rivera is a native of Mayaguez and a current MLB free agent. He batted .278 in the 2023 World Baseball Classic with Puerto Rico.
Next is Cangrejeros second baseman Shed Long Jr., who has 39 fewer at-bats than Rivera, but two more home runs and has struck out just 12 times while drawing 18 walks. Long last played in MLB in 2021 with the Seattle Mariners and spent this past summer with the Cleburne Railroaders in the American Association of Professional Baseball.
On the mound, 40-year-old Daryl Thompson is still recording outs and limiting runs with the Cangrejeros. He has a 1.47 ERA in eight starts this season, striking out 22 in 43 innings.
It’s been 14 years since Thompson last made an MLB appearance with the Cincinnati Reds and the Montreal Expos — yes, those Expos — selected him in the eighth round in 2003.
Postseason Prediction – It’s hard to pick any other team besides the Cangrejeros to win the championship, but if I had to choose one, it would be the Criollos, despite their mediocre record.
They have enough power to steal a game or two on the road in the playoffs. Shortstop Luis Vazquez has six homers and hit 20 between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa in the Chicago Cubs organization in 2023.
Starting pitchers Hector Santiago and Dereck Rodriguez have a combined 15 years of MLB experience, with Santiago earning an All-Star selection with the Los Angeles Angels in 2015. Their veteran leadership could help Caguas make a run at the title.
LBPRC Standings as of Sunday, Dec. 28
1. Cangrejeros de Santurce (26-13)
2. Leones de Ponce (23-16)
3. Gigantes de Carolina (20-19)
4. Criollos de Caguas (19-20)
5. Indios de Mayaguez (18-21)
6. Senadores de San Juan (11-28)
WBN Puerto Rico: https://worldbaseball.com/league/puerto-rico/
