From Olympic speedskater to Marlins debut, Eddy Alvarez’s message: ‘it’s OK to dream’

The phone call Sunday was enough to make Eddy Alvarez emotional. He was home in Miami, on the couch with his significant other Gaby Pearson who is due to give birth to the couple’s first child in a couple weeks, when he received the news.

His second dream was about to come true.

Without hesitation, he made the half-mile drive to his parents’ house and, in order to stay socially distanced during the coronavirus pandemic, shouted at them through their window.

“We did it,” Alvarez screamed.

His dad, Walter, didn’t instantly understand the message. Mom, Mabel, got it loud and clear.

Eddy Alvarez — 30-year-old Miami native, son of Cuban immigrants, Olympian — was heading to the big leagues to play for his hometown team.

He made his MLB debut for the Miami Marlins on Wednesday in their doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. On the road, in an empty ballpark. A stark contrast from the stage he was on six-and-a-half years earlier when he helped the United States clinch a silver medal in the 5,000-meter short-track speedskating relay in Sochi, Russia, during the 2014 Winter Olympics.

But walking into the clubhouse, putting on his No. 65 jersey, fielding ground balls at second and third base, stepping into the batter’s box, even simply surveying the first of many big-league fields he will now play on provided euphoria all the same.

“I had the same jitters walking through Opening Ceremonies [for the Olympics] as I did stepping up and hearing the announcer say that it’s my big league debut,” Alvarez said Thursday. “So it was unbelievable moment, a moment I’m going to cherish. My family as well. Just excited to be here.”

Alvarez knows Wednesday was just the start of this dream, though. Unlike the Olympics, where the magnitude of his performance was limited to a few days, making it to the big leagues is only the first step. Consistent production is going to be what determines how long he stays up here.

He’s still searching for his first hit after going 0 for 5 in the Marlins’ two games Wednesday against the Orioles. When that milestone comes, it’ll be cherished as much as his Olympic medal.

He also understands the circumstances for the call-up. The Marlins placed 17 players on the injured list following a COVID-19 outbreak among the club’s traveling party at the start of their road trip to begin the season. Alvarez was among the wave of reinforcements brought in to bring the roster back to full capacity.

“My heart goes out to all the players in the Marlins’ organization that have been affected by this because I know this is an incredibly tough time, them not being able to be around family, kids,” Alvarez said, “but it hit us and created an opportunity for me, an opportunity that I’ve worked a ridiculous amount of time to accomplish. I’m just going to make the best of it, to be honest. I’m gonna bring the best of my ability every day. Can’t promise anything because you know the game of baseball’s relentless, and just take it day by day.”

Now that Alvarez is here, he’s not looking back. The perseverance paid off.

“It’s OK to dream. It’s OK to let go and go after what you want,” Alvarez said. “I’m a true testament. I firmly believe I am no more athletic than the guy next to me. I’m 5-foot-9. I weigh 180 pounds. I don’t outlift anyone. I don’t outrun a whole lot of people. It’s OK.”

Alvarez’s dreams had competed for his attention ever since was 5 years old. Baseball fields dot parks throughout the Miami landscape and he had ample resources to pursue the sport. However, he felt something special after receiving his first pair of skates as a Christmas gift. He moved to the ice at age 9 and did what he could to balance two sports that are juxtaposing in nature.

“The only similarity I can really come up with,” Alvarez said, “is we go left.”

As he neared the end of his high school career at Miami’s Christopher Columbus High, Alvarez found himself at a juncture. He had a scholarship offer to play baseball at St. Thomas University. He also had the 2010 Winter Olympics approaching.

The cleats came off. The bat and glove were stowed away. Speekskating became the top priority.

Alvarez won gold at the World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships in 2009 but fell short of qualifying for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

He ventured back to baseball in 2011, playing at Salt Lake Community College in Utah, before undergoing surgery on both knees in early 2012. He had the itch to make one more run at the Olympics.

He qualified for the Sochi games, becoming the first Cuban-American male speedskater to make the U.S. Olympic team. On the final day of events, after striking out on three individual events, Alvarez got his medal in the 5,000-meter relay.

One goal accomplished. But at 24, was time already running out for him to accomplish his second and make it in MLB? The odds were against him.

But Alvarez, a young soul at heart, wasn’t one to shy away from a challenge.

“It’s the truth behind the system,” Alvarez said. “And as much crap as it is, age is a huge obstacle for a lot of guys in this game. But I’ve always considered myself a very young athlete. If you saw what I looked like in high school you probably would’ve laughed. I looked like I should have been in middle school.

“It may say 30 on paper, but I don’t look the part, I don’t act the part, and I do my best to play like that.”

So he signed a minor-league deal with the Chicago White Sox before the 2014 season and spent the next five seasons working his way through the minor-league levels.

“I had no idea it was going to be at a pro level [right away],” Alvarez said said back in spring training. “I had expectations to go back to college and get my name out there more. I didn’t know if pro ball was in the plans for me. I didn’t know it was going to happen right away. That started my process a lot sooner.”

Just before the 2019 season started, the White Sox traded him to the Marlins, his hometown team. He dominated in Triple A, hitting .323 with 18 doubles, 12 home runs, 43 RBI and 48 runs scored in 66 games. All this while recording just a 19.6 percent strikeout rate.

“Just a tremendous story of stick-to-it-iveness and dedication and commitment,” Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said.

His strong showing translated into an invite to spring training. He continued during three weeks of summer practices ahead of the season following the sport’s nearly four-month shutdown due to the pandemic.

“I’ll applaud myself for this: I don’t think I ever lost focus,” Alvarez said. “I’ve always strived to challenge myself. That’s the best opportunity I gave myself — to work hard and see what came of it.

“Summer camp was just a reminder that I belong.”

He’s a switch hitter, something the Marlins cherish. His can-do attitude and youthful persona fits in perfectly with the Marlins’ clubhouse that features a slew of rising players mixed with a few savvy veterans.

And he showed he’s capable of playing at the big-league level.

“We’re not afraid to play him,” said Marlins manager Don Mattingly, who had no qualms identifying Alvarez as a “Bo Jackson-type athlete. “He swung the bat well in the spring and again in summer camp. We told him, ‘Eddy, it’s good to have you and you’re better than we would have ever thought.’ He’s been fun to watch and a good guy to have.”

Now, he’s here, and he’s ready to make the most of it as he keeps chasing his second dream.

“We all deal with our inner pessimist,” Alvarez said. “We just try to find as much positivity as we can find. Positive thinking creates positive results.”