SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Roberto Perez tried to keep his focus on baseball, but a week had gone by without hearing from his mom in Puerto Rico. The coastal town of Mayaguez, where Perez grew up and where his mom and brother still call home, was ravaged by Hurricane Maria in September. Perez had only hope, not answers.
When Perez's phone finally buzzed with word from his native island, Cleveland's catcher did not recognize the phone number, but he knew where the call originated. He picked up and heard from one of his mother's neighbors, who told Perez to remember the number.