Over 140 people were part of the Rays’ travel party, needing two planes to make the trip. MLB officials and national media were in a third plane. Of all those people, maybe none were looking forward to it more than Rays’ prospect Dayron Varona, who defected from Cuba three years ago.
“Look, it’s something that, when I get home, I still can’t believe it. I’m set here and I can’t believe any of it,” Varona told ESPNDeportes.com “I just can’t believe it. When I get off the plane and set foot on Cuban soil, that’s when I’m going to believe it.