The championship series of the Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional (LVBP) will begin Sunday in Lara, the league announced Saturday morning.
Having won the 16-game round robin with a record of 11-5, the Cardenales de Lara earned home field advantage in the series, and will host games one, two, six, and seven at Estadio Antonio Herrera Gutiérrez. The Cardenales have won six LVBP titles, most recently taking the crown in 2019-20, and have yet to win a Caribbean Series title.
Their opponent, the Bravos de Margarita, who finished second in the LVBP round robin with a record of 11-5, will host games three, four, and five at Estadio Nueva Esparta on Margarita Island, which has never hosted an LVBP championship series previously despite hosting the Caribbean Series in 2010 and 2015. The Bravos franchise, which was founded in 1991 as the Petroleros de Cabimas and moved to Margarita in 2007, is appearing in their first championship series.
In the regular season, the Bravos edged Cardenales during the regular season, going 5-3, and won three of four games played between the two teams during the round robin. During the round robin, the Cardenales went 6-2 at home and 5-3 on the road, while the Bravos were 4-4 at home and 7-1 away from the island.
The winner of the series earns a berth in the 2025 Caribbean Series in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. Venezuela’s Tiburones de La Guaira won the 2024 Caribbean Series at loanDepot Park in Miami, Fla., the home of MLB’s Miami Marlins. It was the first win at the Caribbean Series for a Venezuelan team since 2009, when the Tigres de Aragua, managed by Buddy Bailey, captured the Caribbean Series title in Mexicali.
Reinforcements Are Coming – Each team in the LVBP final is allowed to add one additional player as a reinforcement from teams that were eliminated from the round robin. The Bravos de Margarita added outfielder Lorenzo Cedrola, who batted .395/.452/.557 with a 1.009 OPS, 83 hits and 33 RBIs in 237 plate appearances with Aragua this winter, and appeared in 103 games with Triple-A Columbus last season. The Cardenales added Andres Chapparo, who made his MLB debut with the Washington Nationals last year, and hit five home runs in 22 games with the Aguilas del Zulia this winter.
How to Watch – All LVBP games are streamed live on BeisbolPlay.com with a subscription, which costs US$7.99.
LVBP Championship Series Schedule
All times Eastern Standard Time
January 19
6 p.m. – Game 1 – Margarita at Lara
January 20
6 p.m. – Game 2 – Margarita at Lara
January 22
6 p.m. – Game 3 – Lara at Margarita
January 23
6 p.m. – Game 4 – Lara at Margarita
January 24
6 p.m. – Game 5 – Lara at Margarita (If Necessary)
January 26
6 p.m. – Game 6 – Margarita at Lara (If Necessary)
January 27
6 p.m. – Game 7 – Margarita at Lara (If Necessary)
