Dominican Baseball: A Guide to the Winter Season in Punta Cana

If you are coming to the Dominican Republic, you probably already know that here you will find postcard beaches, crystal-clear rivers and tropical landscapes that seem made for switching off. But there is another way to get to know the country: experiencing the passion with which Dominicans follow their favourite sport, baseball.

And if you visit the country between October and December, there is one experience that deserves a place on your itinerary: the winter baseball season.

Because in the Dominican Republic, baseball does not stay inside the stadium. It is in conversations, in families, in neighbourhoods, in restaurants and, especially, in the nights of the season.

To truly enjoy it, there are a few things you should know.

Las Estrellas de Herrera, a veterans' baseball team sponsored by Larimar City.

1. First: understand why people here talk so much about pelota

Baseball holds a special place in Dominican culture, or as it is called here, "el juego de pelota" (the ball game). After the United States, the country is one of the biggest sources of foreign-born talent for Major League Baseball, and it currently has five players born in the Dominican Republic in the Cooperstown Hall of Fame.

If you want to start understanding the greatness of Dominican baseball, these are five names you should know:

Juan Marichal. The first. He was the first player born in the Dominican Republic elected to the Hall of Fame, in 1983. As a pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, he won 191 games and was a seven-time All-Star. His iconic delivery and signature leg kick made him one of the most recognisable figures of his generation.

Pedro Martínez. The pitcher who turned dominance into a show. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2015 and won three Cy Young Awards. His time with the Boston Red Sox made him one of the great figures of baseball in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Vladimir Guerrero. The hitter who made even bad pitches look good. He was elected in 2018, after a 16-season Major League career. He finished with 449 home runs, 2,590 hits and a .318 batting average, as well as being a nine-time All-Star and American League MVP in 2004.

David Ortiz. If you hear "Big Papi", you are talking about a legend. The Dominican was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2022. He ended his career with 541 home runs and three World Series championships with the Boston Red Sox. His impact was especially great in the playoffs, where he built one of the most important reputations of his generation.

Adrián Beltré. The most recent of the five. He was elected in 2024 with an impressive 95.1% of the vote. He finished his career with 3,166 hits, 477 home runs, 1,707 runs batted in and five Gold Gloves. He was also the first player born in the Dominican Republic to reach 3,000 hits.

Five players. Five stories. And one same island.

2. Now the fun part: learn to talk about "pelota"

Rosa Sancho presents the recognition to the Herrera veterans' baseball team during a Larimar City event.

Here comes one of the first things you should learn.

In the Dominican Republic you will probably hear "pelota" much more than "béisbol".

"Did you see last night's game?", "Who is playing today?", "How is the pelota going?", "That team is hot". And if you hear "¡Se fue, se fue, se fue!" ("It's gone, gone, gone!"), get ready: someone has probably just hit a home run.

You will also hear:

• Jonrón: home run.
• Jomrón: the Dominican pronunciation of home run.
• La botó: hit a home run.
• Se fue: the ball left the park.
• El juego: the game.
• El equipo: the franchise you are supporting.
• La fanaticada: a team's fans.
• El estadio or el play: the place where the game is played.

And one word you will hear a lot: "¡Batazo!" (a big hit). Because here a good connection can become the moment that changes the whole game.

3. Choose your colours

Rosa Sancho and Johana with the Herrera veterans' baseball team at a Larimar City event.

Now that you know what you are watching, here comes one of the most fun parts: you need a cap. Or a jersey. Or both.

In other parts of the world you might find people completely identified with their football club. In the Dominican Republic, during the baseball season, something similar happens with the teams of the Dominican Baseball League (LIDOM).

You can choose between:

• Tigres del Licey (blue)
• Leones del Escogido (red)
• Águilas Cibaeñas (yellow)
• Gigantes del Cibao (orange)
• Estrellas Orientales (green)
• Toros del Este (yellow)

4. Wear the colours: where to buy your merchandise?

A cap or a jersey can be the best souvenir of your experience with Dominican baseball. Not only because you take home a keepsake, but because during a game it lets you feel part of the fanaticada.

In the Dominican Republic you can find caps, jerseys and other items of the six LIDOM teams through the official LIDOM store, which offers products from the Tigres del Licey, Leones del Escogido, Águilas Cibaeñas, Gigantes del Cibao, Estrellas Orientales and Toros del Este.

And if you are in Punta Cana?

There is a particularly convenient option for those just landing at Punta Cana International Airport:

4 FANS, located in departure terminals A, B1 and B2 of the airport, offers jerseys, caps, jackets, balls and other products related to the baseball teams of the Dominican Republic. It is open every day from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

You can also visit New Era at Blue Mall Punta Cana, especially if you are looking for a cap you can wear beyond the stadium. The store is in the mall's North Corridor and stocks caps and pieces from the brand.

Our tip: if you do not have a team yet, do not overthink it. Choose the colours you like most, get a cap and get ready to discover which will be your new favourite team. That said, once you choose a team, get ready to defend it.

5. Where to experience pelota in Punta Cana?

You do not need to buy a ticket to feel the excitement of Dominican baseball. In Punta Cana you can find restaurants, sports bars and venues with screens where you can follow games while you have dinner or spend time with friends.

One especially sports-oriented option is Dudes Sport Bar, in Los Corales. It has multiple screens and is designed precisely for those who want to follow different sporting events while enjoying food and drinks.

Another alternative is Sports Bar / Xtra Time, inside the Grand Palladium complex, with multiple screens for following sports. You can also find venues such as La Terraza Punta Cana, on Barceló Avenue, which combines Dominican cuisine, local atmosphere and televisions for following sports.

And for a more local experience, Downtown Punta Cana and the Bávaro areas offer different options to go out to eat, have a drink and find the sporting atmosphere of the area.

Tip: if you want to watch a specific game, confirm in advance that the venue will be showing it. Scheduling may vary from day to day.

6. Dare to leave the resort

One of the best ways to understand Dominican sporting culture is to step outside the traditional tourist setting and get to know the places where residents live their daily lives.

Bávaro and Punta Cana have a wide range of dining and entertainment options outside the resorts, and during the baseball season you will find the sport woven into that everyday life.

You can go out for dinner, visit a sports bar, order something to eat and simply watch. You do not need to know all the rules. You do not need to know who is winning. And you definitely do not need to understand all the arguments with the umpire. You just have to let yourself go.

As in any tourist destination, keep the usual precautions: use reliable transport, avoid walking alone at night in areas you do not know and keep your personal belongings under watch.

7. When is the baseball season?

This is where your visit can coincide with one of the most interesting moments of the year.

The 2026-2027 LIDOM season officially began on 16 October 2026 and its regular series is scheduled to run until 22 December.

The opening day featured three matchups, on 16 October:

• Leones del Escogido vs. Tigres del Licey. Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal, 7:15 p.m.
• Gigantes del Cibao vs. Águilas Cibaeñas. Estadio Julián Javier, 7:00 p.m.
• Estrellas Orientales vs. Toros del Este. Estadio Francisco Micheli, 7:30 p.m.

The season continues through October, November and December, before giving way to the postseason.

For those visiting Punta Cana, there is one especially interesting detail: two of the six franchises are based in La Romana and San Pedro de Macorís, relatively close to the Eastern tourist area, which opens up the possibility of turning baseball into an experience beyond the resort.

8. And now that you know the rules

Maybe you will not remember all the names. Maybe you still cannot tell a strike from a ball. Maybe you still do not understand why everyone is arguing with the umpire. It does not matter. Ask for a jersey. Choose a team. Find a screen. Order something to eat. And when you hear everyone shout "¡SE FUEEEEE!", you will know exactly what just happened.

Because getting to know the Dominican Republic also means getting to know how we celebrate, how we compete and how we come together. And during the baseball season, there are few better ways to get closer to that part of our culture.

Experience Punta Cana and enjoy the baseball season.