The Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana (LIDOM) season is quickly approaching, and the Toros del Este are adding two players to their roster. They will be bringing in Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., along with pitcher Paolo Espino.
Guerrero, 25, is the son of Hall of Fame outfielder Vladimir Guerrero. This will be his second season in the LIDOM, after playing with the Leones del Escogido during the 2020-21 season. In 10 games with Escogido, Guerrero hit two homers and drove in 11 RBIs while hitting for a .359 average. For the 2024 season with the Blue Jays, he has 27 home runs and 87 RBIs, with a .322 average in 133 games this year.
Escogido will also welcome right-handed pitcher Paolo Espino. He made his MLB debut in 2017 with the Milwaukee Brewers. He’s played with the Rangers, Nationals, and Blue Jays in his six-year career. Espino has made three appearances in one start for the Jays this year; he holds an 0-1 record, posting an 8.31 ERA with only three strikeouts in eight and two-thirds innings of work.
We will begin to see more and more LIDOM signings, along with those in the Puerto Rican Winter League and Venezuela. Espino returns for his fifth season in LIDOM, as Vladdy Jr. looks to see what all the winter competition is about.
Photo Credit: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates after hitting a home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning in their MLB game at Rogers Centre on August 19, 2024 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/Getty Images)
