American pitcher Zac Grotz made rare back-to-back starts for the Aguilas del Zulia, throwing each of the first two games of the Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional round robin playoffs.
The two starts, separated by four days, essentially meant that Grotz got normal rest while play in the five-team, 16-game round robin playoff was suspended after the U.S. military captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in the early morning hours of Jan. 3. Grotz, however, will not be making a third start in the round robin, as he will be exiting Venezuela, citing the political situation in the country, according to an Instagram post by the Aguilas.
“The pitcher Zac Grotz will not continue participating with the Aguilas due to the situation in the country,” the Instagram post said in Spanish. Grotz’s departure leaves Ronnie Williams of the Cardenales de Lara as the lone American playing in the LVBP.
The announcement of Grotz’s departure came less than 24 hours after the U.S. State Department revised its travel advisory to U.S. citizens regarding Venezuela, directing American citizens to leave Venezuela immediately now that international flights have resumed, citing “reports of groups of armed militias, known as colectivos, setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for evidence of U.S. citizenship or support for the United States.”
Grotz had a 2.35 ERA in two starts for Zulia, allowing four hits over six scoreless innings in the Aguilas’ 4-3, 10-inning win on Jan. 2 before surrendering three runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings against the Bravos de Margarita when the LVBP resumed the playoffs on Jan. 7.
Chourio Brothers Returning to the Nest – In the same post, the Aguilas noted that budding Major League Baseball superstar Jackson Chourio of the Milwaukee Brewers and his brother Jaison will both return to Zulia for the remainder of the playoffs. Jackson Chourio left Venezuela last week, and according to the Aguilas, is attending to immigration matters, while Jaison is attending to obligations he has with the Cleveland Guardians.
The Aguilas face the Navegantes del Magallanes Sunday at 4 p.m. EST.
Photo: Zac Grotz, shown here with the Charros de Jalisco, pitched in the LVBP playoffs for the Aguilas del Zulia, but is now leaving Venezuela. (Courtesy of the Charros de Jalisco)
