Wilmer Ríos is already in Hermosillo. The right-hander from Guasave, Sinaloa, checked into Naranjeros‘ preseason camp at Estadio Fernando Valenzuela on Tuesday — the highlight of the second day of workouts. He’s not here to earn a spot in the rotation. He’s here to defend it.
The Numbers That Put Him at the Top of the Rotation
Ríos wrapped up the 2025-26 LMP season with a 7-3 record and a 3.72 ERA, tying for the league lead in wins and earning a Pitcher of the Year nomination. Dig a little deeper and the case gets even stronger: 13 starts, 77.1 innings pitched — second most in the entire circuit — and a 1.19 WHIP, meaning he allowed barely more than one baserunner per inning. He walked just 15 batters all season. Those numbers earned him the ball for Naranjeros’ season opener against the Tucson Baseball Team.
His summer with the Acereros de Monclova in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol told a different story: 3-5 with a 4.80 ERA over 15 starts, though he did log 84.1 innings and struck out 65. The LMB and the LMP operate at different levels and rhythms. What matters now is that he arrives fresh and ready before the LAMP 2026-27 regular season kicks off on October 14, when Naranjeros travel to face the Águilas de Mexicali.
Twelve Seasons in Orange — and the Biggest Stakes Yet
This will be Ríos’ twelfth season with Naranjeros. At 32, the Sinaloa native knows exactly what the organization asks of him: eat innings, win starts, and keep the rotation stable so the bullpen can breathe.
The club opened camp on Monday, September 7, with 28 players and has ten days of workouts in Hermosillo scheduled before a road trip through Arizona and California starting September 16, as part of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta.
The backdrop makes this preseason feel bigger than any in recent memory: Estadio Fernando Valenzuela will host the 2027 Caribbean Series. That means the LAMP 2026-27 champion will represent Mexico on home soil. For Naranjeros, winning the title is no longer just regional pride — it’s the chance to play a Caribbean Series in their own ballpark. With Ríos on the mound from day one, the pursuit starts on solid footing.
