Guinda Blood
Baseball in Culiacán
Here it's not a sport, it's a religion. And the Tomateros are the parish.
Tomateros de Culiacán
The Tomateros de Culiacán were founded in 1965 by Don Juan Manuel Ley Fong. They are the second-winningest team in the history of the Mexican Pacific League, with 13 championships and 2 Caribbean Series.
Their fans — the Nación Guinda — fill the Tomateros Stadium with more than 20,000 souls who sing, shout, and pass the jersey from one generation to the next. The stadium opened in 2017 and is one of the most modern in Mexico.
The LMP regular season runs from October to February, culminating in playoffs and finally the Caribbean Series. Attending a Tomateros game is a cultural must for any visitor to Culiacán.
Nación Guinda by the numbers
Culiacanenses in the Major Leagues
This land has produced more than 22 players who have made it to MLB. Here are some of the most notable:
Julio Urías
2020 World Series champion with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Roberto Osuna
The youngest pitcher in MLB history to reach 100 saves
Oliver Pérez
20 MLB seasons, the Mexican with the most years of service
Joey Meneses
Born and raised here, in Culiacán
It all starts on the street, with a borrowed glove and a diamond drawn on the sidewalk. Here, being a tomatero is learned before you can talk.