After quite a journey for both teams, the 2025 Caribbean Series comes to an end between the Dominican Republic and Mexico.
Mexico has remained undefeated throughout the series, while the Dominicans hope to leave Friday’s rematch at the Estadio El Nido de los Águilas victorious after losing to Mexico last Sunday. Both teams have proven themselves to be tested and game-ready.
Dímelo brings you a recap of the major moments, key players, and other interesting notes before tonight’s final.
Both teams have been considered fan favorites throughout the series. The delegations are made up of the best of the best in their respective leagues and have shown their prowess throughout the series. The two have had the best win-to-loss record throughout the entirety of the series. Their players have made good calls and plays, although the series is hosted in Mexico, making them a favorite.
The Dominican Republic has the most series wins as their representative teams have secured 22 total championships for the country. While Mexico has only had nine total championships in the series, they look to be favored due to their undefeated status.
The Dominicans, aka the “Leones del Escogido,” managed by Albert Pujols, have lost two games and won three, with a total series score of 26 runs throughout the series. Aside from their crushing victory against Japan, most of their games have been close-calls. Their notable players include former major league players such as Robinson Canó, Johnny Cueto, Alex Colomé, and Sócrates Brito, who was responsible for the go-ahead run sending the Leones to the finals.
Meanwhile, Mexico, aka the “Charros de Jalisco,” managed by Benji Gil, have had the best scoring record throughout the series. They’ve outscored their opponents 22-5 since the beginning of the series. Not only are their numbers invoking confidence, but their players appear to be more than capable of taking on the challenge.
Notable players such as Billy Hamilton, Manny Bañuelos, Stephen Nogosek, Jack Mayfield, and Mateo Gil have proven themselves on the field. As a team, they look to be capitalizing on their momentum, especially with Hamilton’s speed while on base and making himself a cornerstone of the initial start to the game. He’ll likely move to be in scoring position as soon as possible.
Both teams must look out for their power-hitting core as they eye up runs, especially for the Dominicans. Power hits into the outfield became the Dominican bread and butter, especially as they were the first team to score a home run in the series.
When it comes to Mexico’s strategy, they’ll look to take control of the game early by exploiting the holes in the center of the defense. Hamilton’s creation of opportunities and general presence on the field will be crucial for the Mexicans as they look to keep the Dominicans at bay with good defensive positioning and their power plays. It’ll be all or nothing as each team hopes to bring home the championship title.
The 2025 Caribbean Series Final is being broadcast in English on MLB Network, MLB.TV and MLB Network Direct. The finale can also be streamed in Spanish with ESPN+. The game starts at 10 p.m. EST and 7 p.m. PST this Friday, Feb. 7th.