Charros de Jalisco Aim to Break Mexican Drought at 2026 Caribbean Series
The 2026 Caribbean Series, originally slated for Venezuela, will now take place in Guadalajara, Mexico, offering a significant home-field advantage to the Charros de Jalisco. This shift in venue sets the stage for a unique tournament, as Mexico will field two teams for the first time in the competition’s history, with the Charros competing as “Red Mexico.”
The Charros, fresh off a sweep of the Tomateros de Culiacán in the Mexican Pacific ARCO League championship series, enter the tournament with momentum and a clear objective: to end Mexico’s decade-long championship drought. The team’s success has been fueled by the performance of Julián Ornelas, named MVP of the recent league final, and the leadership of manager Benjamín Gil.
“The normal round robin round, you just have to get to the semifinals,” Gil reportedly told the Mexican press. “Whether we come in fourth or first place is not important, what we are going to win is that we are going to win two games, the semifinal and the final, on February 6 and 7 we are going to win those games and here we are going to enjoy them in Jalisco.”
This will be the Charros de Jalisco’s fourth appearance in the Caribbean Series, having previously competed in 2019 (Panama), 2022 (Santo Domingo), and 2025 (Mexicali). Despite past near-misses – falling in the semifinals in 2022 and losing in the 2025 final to the Dominican Republic’s Leones del Esgido, led by MLB legend Albert Pujols – the team remains focused on securing their first Caribbean Series crown.
A key component of the Charros’ strategy will be their pitching rotation, anchored by veteran Manny Bañuelos, whose talent was recognized during his time in the New York Yankees’ minor league system. He will be supported by Luis Iván Rodríguez, Luis Fernando Miranda, and Ronald Medrano. The team’s full roster includes receivers Santiago Chávez and Alexis Wilson, infielders Juan Carlos Gamboa, Michael Wielansky, and Connor Hollis, outfielders Willie Calhoun, Julián Ornelas, Eric Filia, Leo Heras, Billy Hamilton, and Bligh Madris, and pitchers Jesús Cruz, Matt Foster, Jeff Ibarra, Luis Miranda, Luis Márquez, César Gómez, Miguel Aguilar, Trevor Clifton, and Gerardo Reyes.
The last Mexican team to win the Caribbean Series was the Venados de Mazatlán in 2016. The Charros de Jalisco are determined to bring the championship trophy back to Mexico, leveraging their home-field advantage and a roster brimming with talent.
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