Even as Mariners outfielder Guillermo Heredia moves closer to his dream of steady big-league duty, he becomes increasingly aware of what he left behind.
It’s a familiar story for players who defect from Cuba — as Heredia did in 2015 in order to establish residency in Mexico as a prerequisite to signing with a major-league organization.
For years, it meant no going back. That seemed to be easing for a while, but the current political climate is again raising questions regarding future contact with family members and friends still on the island.
"It’s obviously very hard," Heredia admitted.