SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Nolan Arenado couldn’t divert his eyes.
Showing on the massive TV in the Rockies’ clubhouse at Salt River Fields on Tuesday was a chapter of history the Rockies’ star third baseman was not going to miss.
“This is very cool,” he said. “After all these years, it’s happening.”
He was watching Tuesday’s game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban National team from Havana, just the second time a Major League team has traveled to the island nation since Fidel Castro took power in 1959.
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Arenado’s grandfather, Gerardo, was a political prisoner under Castro and was trying to get to the United States. Nolan’s father, Fernando, was 6 when the family was allowed to leave for Spain. The family eventually settled in Southern California.
“It’s cool to see America and Cuba get closer,” Nolan Arenado said. “I think my dad has mixed emotions. But he thinks it’s amazing to see the Cuban people excited and happy. He thinks it’s important to watch this. I think it’s important for Cuba to be a part of baseball like this. We have so many Latin players and Cuba has so many good players who we haven’t seen.”
Arenado plans to visit Cuba, sooner rather than later.
“I can’t wait to go,” he said. “It’s a lot easier to travel there now. So I’m going, with my dad or whoever — I just know I’m going.”
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or @psaundersdp
