Berríos, Vlad Jr. support youth with charity softball game

CAROLINA, Puerto Rico -- José Berríos had already led his team onto the field at Estadio Roberto Clemente Walker on Saturday afternoon for the beginning of his first-ever celebrity softball game. Then, a loud roar off to the left of the home dugout shifted his focus.

The noise was produced by a group of kids leaning over the wall down the left field line who conjured up a plan to catch the Blue Jays right-hander’s attention by belting out a “Berríos!” chant in unison.

It worked.

Just moments away from first pitch, Berríos delayed the game’s start to acknowledge the effort by making his way over for autographs. About a minute into the impromptu session, a young boy donning a red T-shirt and red St. Louis Cardinals hat handed Berríos a baseball. As he signed, the boy tapped Berríos’ right hand.

“I have something I want to share with you,” the boy told Berríos in Spanish. “I’ve watched you pitch so I can learn.”

Berríos locked eyes with the boy.

“You like [baseball]? You like it a lot?,” Berríos asked, to which the boy nodded. Berríos then asked him “Do you have confidence in yourself?” Again, the boy nodded.

“That’s all you need,” Berríos told him. “Every day, learn something new.”

That exchange exemplifies what Berríos aims to achieve through his La Makina Foundation, which focuses on helping the youth of Puerto Rico achieve its dreams through sports, education and health. That’s why Berríos made it a point to get as many kids out to the ballpark as possible by allowing free admission to the first 2,000 kids who showed up with a parent or relative.

The island certainly came out to support. Over 5,000 fans were in attendance, with thousands forming a line that wrapped around the entire outfield wall hours before the gates opened.

“I’m very happy and proud,” Berríos said. “This is the first event that I’ve hosted. I’ve been invited to other events and I very much enjoyed the impact we made on those kids. It was incredible. So to now host an event myself, I feel very proud. I hope these kids enjoy this experience and the opportunity to meet us and ask questions so they can make their future better.”

It is fitting that Berríos’ first big charity event took place at a stadium named after Clemente, whose legacy is that of an ultimate humanitarian. The Hall of Famer is a major inspiration for Berríos’ desire to give back.

“We all know Roberto Clemente and his beneficial labor,” Berríos said. “I never watched him play, but my dad told me stories and showed me videos. Growing up, I saw what Carlos Beltrán and Yadier Molina did and are still doing for the youth. They motivated me. I understand that I need to continue setting that bar, and that’s why we are here today.”

Molina annually held a celebrity softball game and home run derby at Estadio Hiram Bithorn in San Juan over the past decade, events in which Berríos became a regular participant. In creating “La Gente de Barrio Home Run Derby and Celebrity Softball Game,” Berríos is in a sense carrying the baton from one of his idols, who shares a hometown of Bayamón.

On Saturday, Molina was on hand. The 2018 Roberto Clemente Award winner stood inside the home dugout and looked on from a distance, proud of the tradition being kept up by Puerto Rico’s next generation.

“He’s following our footsteps,” Molina said. “Berríos is from my town and very humble. He did all of this out of his heart so the people could have a day of entertainment with their whole family and watch big names of Major League Baseball. I’m happy for him, and hope to see him continue following those steps.”

To help amplify the event, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his VG27 Foundation, which also focuses on helping kids through sports and education, partnered with Berríos as a co-host. Together, the Blue Jays teammates assembled stacked rosters on both Team La Makina and Team Vladdy, featuring Major League stars such as Julio Rodríguez, Edwin Díaz, Francisco Lindor, Javier Baéz, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Eddie Rosario and Jose Miranda. Other celebrities included Latin musicians Jowell, Nio García and Miky Woodz, as well as Puerto Rican boxing champion Amanda Serrano.

Team Vladdy defeated Team La Makina, 14-9, in five innings. The main event, however, was the derby, which saw Guerrero, the reigning MLB Home Run Derby champion, win on his final swing of the contest in a swing-off against Cleveland Guardians Minor Leaguer Jonathan Rodríguez. Guerrero’s victory was followed by him getting mobbed at home plate and a live band performance to cap the celebration.

Proceeds from the event benefitted both Berríos’ La Makina Foundation and Guerrero’s VG27 Foundation by supporting community initiatives in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

“This is very special for me,” Guerrero said. “When you talk about teammates, you’re talking about family. When [Berríos] asked me in June, I told him of course I would do it. When it comes to someone like José Berrios, I’m always going to say yes.”

Berríos is no stranger to philanthropy. He collaborated with teammates on relief efforts for Hurricane Maria in 2017 and has worked with Hogar de Niños Forjadores de Esperanza in Bayamón to help provide kids in school with tutoring, as well as partnering with Baéz to help raise funds for child cancer patients through the CAP Foundation.

Saturday night, however, was the first event that Berríos truly could call his own. It also likely will not be his last.

“I’ve always liked to help people,” Berríos said. “I have a passion for helping young kids, so doing this is easy for me. … That’s what motivates me, always getting involved to help other people.”