Magallanes Navegantes win Venezuelan Professional Baseball League 2025-2026
Magallanes Navegantes defeated Anzoategui Caribes in six games to win the 2025-2026 Venezuela Professional Baseball League (LVBP), the 80th edition.
It's the 14th league title for Magallanes, who succeeded last season's winners Lara Cardenales.
Magallanes won the deciding game six on the road at the Alfonso Chico Carrasquel Stadium in Puerto La Cruz.
With the games tied at three, the Navegantes scored seven in the top of the fifth to break the score open. Wilfredo Tovar had two singles, Rougned Odor (who went 4-for-5 with a home run and five RBIs) singled, Tucupita Marcano doubled, and Eliezer Alfonzo hit a sacrifice fly.
Magallanes also took advantage of some wild pitching by Caribes. Sebastian Perrone, their third reliever, allowed two walks, Harold Chirino hit two batters and walked one. Anzoategui's starter, Naswell Paulino, the first of nine pitchers, didn't survive the first inning. Magallanes used seven pitchers. Reliever Felix Cepeda earned the win, going 1.2 innings.
The series started with a Game One slugfest, which set the tone. It was not a championship series for the pitchers. Game Two was the exception. Tucupita Marcano gave the Navegantes all the runs they needed to win with one swing of the bat. He hit a three-run homer off starter Eduardo Salazar in the fourth. Ricardo Sanchez, the best pitcher of the season, allowed one run on four hits over five innings. Still, he needed the support of his bullpen. Four relievers kept Caribes scoreless.
"Magallanes is a feeling," manager Yadier Molina commented. The former Major League Baseball (MLB) superstar catcher added, "Coming from last place every time, changing your mindset, and becoming champion in Venezuela is unforgettable."
LVBP Series results
27.1 Caribes-Navegantes 4-12
28.1 Caribes-Navegantes 1-3
29.1 Navegantes-Caribes 7-9
31.1 Navegantes-Caribes 14-5
1.2 Navegantes-Caribes 3-5
2.2 Caribes-Navegantes 6-14
WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup bronze medallist and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Seibu Lions slugger Leandro Cedeño won the Robert Perez MVP award. He hit four home runs and batted in 14 runs.
"Playing in the outfield was killing me, I was dying for it to be over," Leandro Cedeño joked after the celebration. "We were able to finish as champions, which was our goal. Today we gave all we had, just like we've been doing; that was the key. I'm happy to win a ring in this league."