While the MLB season is about to start with Opening Day on the doorstep, the World Baseball Classic was the story of the game earlier in March. The WBC always shows the incredible passion of baseball fans around the globe, and that couldn’t be demonstrated further when Venezuela lifted the World Baseball Classic trophy for the first time in the country’s history.
How Omar López’s Journey to WBC-Winning Manager Began With the Astros
Baseball is an integral part of Venezuela’s culture, and the meaning of this championship is special on another level for their fans and a country that worships the sport. The Houston Astros have multiple connections to Venezuelan baseball. Jose Altuve is obviously the known one, but a member of the Astros staff played a vital role in Venezuela winning its first World Baseball Classic.
That is Astros bench coach Omar López, who was the manager of Team Venezuela. It’s been a long road to the top for López, who gets his shining moment as Venezuela’s skipper.
“A dream come true,” Omar López said. pic.twitter.com/9ZBXif9RaD
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) March 19, 2026
Omar López’s Astros Role
This upcoming season will be López’s 28th year in the Astros organization. He joined the major league staff as the Astros first base coach in Dec. 2019 for the start of the 2020 season and was in that position till 2023. Once Joe Espada became Astros manager in Dec. 2023, López was promoted to bench coach and took Espada’s former role.
Joe Espada said he was proud of Omar López: “Just seeing the final outcome and watching him celebrate, I said, ‘Listen, I don’t want to see you here today. You take the day, you celebrate with your family and that team,’ because he truly deserves that.”
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 18, 2026
Venezuela’s Manager
López played a role for Venezuela in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, but got his opportunity as the manager in 2023. He’s led the country to some of its best finishes in the tournament. López had the Venezuelans in position to head to the 2023 semifinals with a 7-5 lead in the eighth inning over the USA in the quarterfinals, but Trea Turner’s grand slam ended their hopes in crushing fashion.
Venezuela got its revenge this time around with López masterfully leading them to a 3-2 win. The path this year was as hard as it could get, with a quarterfinal comeback upset 8-5 over mighty Japan. Venezuela had no days of rest heading into the final against the USA, but were able to overcome that in a game that will forever be remembered in the country’s history.
His Experience
López’s success as a manager on a stage such as the WBC sets him up well as a potential MLB manager down the road. The experience and success speak for themselves. He managed Double-A Corpus Christi for two seasons from 2018 to 2019 and was named Texas League Manager of the Year in his first season for leading the Hooks to an 82-56 record.
Jose Altuve on Omar López before yesterday’s WBC final: “The only thing I can say about him is it’s a matter of time that he’ll be a manager in the big leagues. We all know he knows the game, he knows how to manage. He deserves a job in the big leagues. He’s that good.” https://t.co/8E5kCUjn4K
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) March 18, 2026
López has been almost everywhere you can go within the Astros system over the years. He led Quad Cities to a Midwest League Championship in 2013 with a squad that featured two current Astros players, Carlos Correa and Lance McCullers Jr. López was also named Manager of the Year in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League back in 2014-15 and also led them to a championship in his first year. At 38 years old, he was the youngest manager in the league.
López Found Altuve
His connection to Altuve remains an all-important story for the direction that the Astros would take under what became their greatest player in franchise history. López was a hitting and infield instructor in the Astros Venezuelan program as well as a full-time scout from 1999 to 2007. He was one of the scouts who saw Altuve as a young 16-year-old.
López broke down the story on MLB Network after winning the WBC. He was at a Little League national tournament in Venezuela, three hours away, when his boss called him over to watch a shortstop. When López went to Maracay, he noticed a small Altuve hitting doubles and running all over the place.
You can thank Omar Lopez and Al Pedrique for being the ones to find Jose Altuve and help bring him to Houston.
Forever grateful. pic.twitter.com/IeTah02EF7
— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) March 18, 2026
The viewing area of the field was high up, and it made Altuve look even smaller.
“I was like, where is this guy from?” López recalled. He waited after the game to see how tall he was. López stayed the night and watched the same team the next day with Altuve on it.
A Small Signing Turned Historic
Al Pedrique was the development coach at the time and was running the scouting. The scouts typically see players in a completely different light than everyone else. López called him.
“I got this guy, I think we should invite him to our academy, but I’m telling you he’s little,” López said over the phone. Pedrique asked if he had the ability to play, and López said yes. The ability was the only thing Pedrique was looking for. Altuve demonstrated his potential, and the rest is history. The Astros signed him as an undrafted amateur free agent in 2007 for just $15,000.
Pedrique convinced the Astros to take a chance on the five-foot-five infielder, but López was the one who originally spotted him.
The Astros’ bench coach played three seasons of minor league baseball from 1996 to 1998 and has turned into one of the more important members of the coaching staff in Houston. Besides López, bullpen catcher Javier Bracamonte was also part of Venezuela’s WBC-winning team. The Astros’ connections with Venezuela run deep. It was fitting that Altuve was at the WBC to enjoy this moment.
You can thank Omar Lopez and Al Pedrique for being the ones to find Jose Altuve and help bring him to Houston.
Forever grateful. pic.twitter.com/IeTah02EF7
— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) March 18, 2026
Main Photo Credit: Bob Levey/Getty Images
