UPDATE (July 5, 4 p.m. PT): According to reports out of Venezuela, Eliezer Alfonzo’s stepmom and sister were found dead from the recent earthquakes. Alfonzo still started at catcher for the Dodgers on Sunday night in what was his MLB debut.
“I don’t really know what to say about it, outside of my heart goes out to him and his family,” manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “A heavy heart is not even justifying. So I don’t want to really go too far, because I’ll get emotional. I know it’s tough. Very tough.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers changed backup catchers on their roster by calling up Eliezer Alfonzo and optioning Chuckie Robinson back to Triple-A Oklahoma City before Saturday’s game against the San Diego Padres.
Robinson struggled in his latest stint with the Dodgers, hitting .087/.087/.087 with one run scored and one RBI over eight games. He was hitless in two plate appearances last season.
Meanwhile, Alfonzo has batted .313/.392/.422 with one home run and 17 RBI in 49 games with the Comets before his promotion. He’s up at the big league level for the first time in his career.
Eliezer Alfonzo thinking of sister in Venezuela
With the Dodgers still facing four more games to complete a stretch of 13 in a row, Alfonzo is set to make his MLB debut in the series finale against the Padres.
Alfonzo is poised to do so while thinking of family back in his native Venezuela, and in particular his stepmother and 16-year-old sister who remain missing after back-to-back earthquakes with magnitudes of more than 7.0 rocked the northern part of the country.
Eliezer Alfonzo Jr. also said his little sister had a dream to see him reach big leagues and he is still hopeful she will be found in Venezuela 🙏
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) July 4, 2026
Alfonzo shared his younger sister’s dog was found on Saturday, which has him hopeful rescue workers will next locate his family members as well. Alfonzo’s situation is the type that Miguel Rojas said caused him to feel guilty upon receiving word his wife and children weren’t harmed in the earthquakes.
MLB and the Players Association (MLBPA) recently a $1 million joint donation in support of those affected by the Venezuela earthquakes. The financial donation to the Red Cross was to help provide emergency assistance such as shelter, healthcare, mental health services, access to safe water and the distribution of essential relief items.
As for his responsibilities to the Dodgers on Sunday, Alfonzo is set to catch Emmet Sheehan. The switch-hitting catcher originally joined the Dodgers organization as a Minor League free agent last November.
Prior to that he spent eight seasons in the Detroit Tigers Minor League system after being signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela. Alfonzo should get somewhat of an extended stint with the Dodgers given that Will Smith is not yet close to returning from a neck issue despite recently starting baseball activities.
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