Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won the Home Run Derby last night. He beat Mookie Betts, Julio Rodriguez (who set the Derby record with 44 home runs in a single round) and Randy Arozarena by setting his own record for the final round with 25 long balls.
After he won, celebration ensued. ESPN, which was showcasing the event, posted a graphic on screen that said Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was the second-ever Cuban Derby champion. There’s only one problem: the Toronto Blue Jays star isn’t from Cuba.
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Where is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. from?
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is not from Cuba, as ESPN’s victory graphic suggested. He is from the Dominican Republic, as evidenced by his participation on their national team during the World Baseball Classic in the spring.
Ironically, this was an easy mistake to catch. Guerrero is not the second Cuban Derby champ, but he is the second Home Run Derby winner from his own family. His father, Vladimir Guerrero Sr., won it as well.
That means that the two stars would be the same nationality and if Yoenis Cespedes is the only Cuban victor, then neither Guerrero Jr. or Sr. is from that country.
Additionally, Vlad Jr. was born in Canada while his father, once again ironically, was playing for the Blue Jays. Either way, the family nor the slugger himself is from Cuba.