Alonso strikes a chord with fascinating account of Cuba defection

ANAHEIM As Yonder Alonso was preparing for the 2017 season last winter, he was tackling another challenge too. Over the course of three months, the As first baseman gathered his thoughts and pieced together a fascinating first-person account for The Players Tribune about his childhood experience defecting from Cuba with his parents and younger sister. Alonso framed the article as him penning a letter to his 8-year-old self, describing the grueling struggle he and his family would go through while reassuring his younger self that it would all be worth it when he finally made it as a major leaguer.