Things to know about the 2022 Cuban Season

The Granma Horses will host the inaugural game of the 61th Cuban National Series. Photo: Ismael Francisco

In a move replicating last season schedule of 75-games, the Cuban National Series will have its regular season starting on Sunday, January 23, with only one game scheduled.

It will be the inaugural game of the 61th Cuban Season, featuring the host and defending Cuban champion, the Granma Horses, and the Matanzas Crocodiles at 1 pm (ET) at Mártires de Barbados Park in Granma.

Two days later all 16 teams are scheduled to take the field on Opening Day.

Opening Day will feature 8 match-ups in the first three-games series of the season.

The best series of the first week of the tournament will be between two recent Cuban champions, the Las Tunas Woodcutters (2019 champions) and the three-time champions (2016, 2015 & 2012), the Ciego de Ávila Tigers at José R. Cepero Park in Ciego de Ávila. The other seven series include Cienfuegos Elephants-Matanzas Crocodiles at Victoria de Girón Park; Camagüey Bulls-Sancti Spíritus Roosters at José A. Huelga Park; Guantánamo Indians-Granma Horses at Mártires de Barbados Park; Santiago de Cuba Wasps-Holguín Dogs at Calixto García Park; Isla de la Juventud Pirates-Pinar del Río Tobacco Growers at Capitán San Luis Park; Villa Clara Sugar Makers-Mayabeque Hurricanes at Nelson Fernández Park; and Industriales Lions-Artemisa Hunters at 26 de Julio Park.

You can find the full schedule of the 2022 season here.

In addition, other details of the 2022 Cuban Season include:

• The season will have identical format than the previous one (60th National Series). Each team will play 75 games – Round Robin system - and there will be three Postseason series

• The 2022 Cuban Postseason will, once again, have three different series to define the Cuban champion: Quarter-finals, Semifinals, and Finals. The only change for the new season is that the Quarter-finals series will be a best-of-seven series.

• The first game of the season will be held at Mártires de Barbados Park, the home of the defending champions the Granma Horses, on Sunday, January 23 against the Matanzas Crocodiles

• No games will be held at municipalities stadiums

• There will be seven-inning doubleheader games starting at 10:00 am (ET)

• Each team will be allowed to have up to 40 players in the active roster during home games, while only 25 players will play in away games

• Players who are currently playing in other leagues must be included in the active 40-man roster, arrive in Cuba before game 60 of the season and have at least 40 at-bats or 20 innings pitched to be able to participate in the 2022 postseason

• COVID-19 protocol: at least 4 players out of a roster of 40 should test positive for a game to be postponed. Stadiums’ capacity will be limited at 50% and there will be a mask mandate during games

• Weekly press conferences will be held at the Latinoamericano stadium in Havana, where the Most Valuable Player of the week will be announced

• The All-Star Game will be celebrated on Sunday, March 19, the venue will be announced later

• The final day of the 2022 regular season on Wednesday, May 11, featuring 8 games

• A new tournament, most likely a Selective Series with 6 teams and the best players of the 61th National Series, will be held from October 2022 to January 2023, but the details of this tournament are still unknow

• The Cuban Baseball Federation elections must be held between January 25-30.