Overview
- Eliezer Alfonzo Jr. made his major league debut on Sunday and caught seven innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 5-2 loss to the San Diego Padres.
- Hours before the game, local reporting said his 16-year-old sister Eliana and stepmother Patricia were found dead in rubble in La Guaira after the June 24 earthquakes.
- Alfonzo said he chose to play to honor his family and received a standing ovation from fans while teammates, including fellow Venezuelan Miguel Rojas, offered close support.
- The Dodgers posted formal condolences on X and manager Dave Roberts praised Alfonzo’s composure, saying the team will provide support as the family mourns.
- The June 24 pair of powerful quakes, recorded at roughly magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, caused widespread collapse in coastal areas and left death toll estimates in the thousands while search and humanitarian operations continue.