The same hitter who once amazed fans with more than thirty home runs in Major League Baseball, while also succeeding in Caribbean winter circuits like Mexico and the Dominican Republic, has once again appeared on the scene for Industriales. With a two-run hit in the ninth inning, he painted the IV Cuban Elite League a little bluer.

"When I returned to Cuba in 2023, that was the goal, to try and end Industriales' title drought. That time we went to the final and lost to Las Tunas. Later we tried again, but fell to Pinar del Río in the semifinals. That is to say, we have been close, so we hope this will be the year; we are close to achieving it," he confessed exclusively to the Cuban News Agency.

For a slugger of his caliber, with nearly 200 home runs in 15 contests in Cuba and abroad, it would be common to decide games with hits beyond the limits of the field. However, the connection that put the capital team just one step from glory was a ground ball up the middle with an unfavorable count, which demonstrates his ability to adapt in tense moments to meet the demands of the duel.

"I got that with years of experience, reading the game, knowing when to put power into the ball or just make contact and then run hard. That's what I tried to do, since on the first pitch I went for a long ball comfortably, but he threw me a slider and the rain made me miss a bit. I also missed another pitch in the zone, and in that situation, I let the ball get a little deeper so I could put it in play," commented the player also known as "El Tanque."

For someone with the opportunity to be in various baseball scenarios, the greatest emotions are found at home, with that fervor of the Cuban fan base that adds a unique excitement to the competition.

"When I started, the stadium was always full during playoffs, and that demands the best from you. Then I had the chance to reach the Major Leagues, and there the fans are a bit more reserved, drier, not as involved with the player. I also played in the Dominican Republic and felt that pressure again. Returning to my country, I came back to a postseason against Santiago de Cuba after several seasons without that classic matchup, and everything it meant," he reflected. Tomás now wears number 20 for the Leones.

Regarding retiring from baseball, Tomás noted: "I thought about it last year and had the decision almost 90 out of 100. However, my family, my parents, and friends told me to continue. I'm 35 years old; I know that one day retirement will come, and I really don't think it will be very far off. But if I still have strength and the desire, I will continue doing what I love."

For now, Yasmani Tomás aims to add another championship to his resume, after lifting the title in the 49th National Baseball Series, which was the last time the capital team achieved it.