SEATTLE -- Approximately eight years ago, Adolis García signed up for a Home Run Derby in Cuba. It was the first time Garc¨ªa was going to participate in that event and he didn¡¯t know quite what to expect.

During Garc¨ªa's round, Luis Robert Jr. recalls that Garc¨ªa wasn¡¯t hitting any home runs. In the end, Garc¨ªa finished with no homers and in last place. Naturally, Robert, who was just watching as a teammate, couldn¡¯t stop laughing and making fun of Garc¨ªa for his shoddy Derby performance.

That laughter stopped immediately a year later when Robert decided to participate in the following Home Run Derby. Like Garc¨ªa, Robert struggled to hit any home runs in the competition. Once he finished, Garc¨ªa was ready for some revenge.

¡°See?¡± Garc¨ªa told Robert. ¡°That¡¯s so you can stop laughing now.¡±

Almost a decade later, Robert and Garc¨ªa expect to have a much better showing in the 2023 Home Run Derby at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. They¡¯ll have each other to lean on during the event. They¡¯ll also share the stage with Randy Arozarena, another Cuban-born player they¡¯ve shared plenty of baseball experiences with in the past.

Robert comes into the event as the No. 1 seed with 26 homers this season. Garc¨ªa and Arozarena will battle it out in the first round. The winner of that contest could then match up against Robert in the semifinals.

¡°I¡¯m really happy and thankful to live out this experience with two other Cuban players,¡± Robert said in Spanish. ¡°I played with them in Cuba, and to be here with them again, I think it¡¯s going to be a really good experience.¡±

While all are different ages, Arozarena, Robert and Garc¨ªa have all been connected for quite some time. Arozarena and Robert have known each other for years. They both represented Cuba in international tournaments as kids. Robert and Garc¨ªa played together in the Cuban National Series with Ciego de Avila.

¡°We formed a great friendship while playing in Cuba,¡± Garc¨ªa said. ¡°We¡¯ve been friends ever since.¡±

Arozarena and Garc¨ªa have also known each other since their time in Cuba, but their relationship didn¡¯t blossom until they both got to the United States. The two Cuban stars were in the Cardinals¡¯ farm system together. Arozarena was Garc¨ªa¡¯s first roommate in the Minors.

Since then, Garc¨ªa and Arozarena have developed a brotherhood. In fact, Garc¨ªa is the godfather of Arozarena¡¯s daughter. The two chat every single day. They usually talk about life and a little bit of baseball. But after the Derby pairings were announced, there¡¯s been some trash talk involved.

¡°We¡¯re really proud of ourselves to be able to join a Derby together,¡± Arozarena said. ¡°He wants to beat me, and I want to beat him.¡±

Initially, Robert said he wasn¡¯t interested in participating in this year¡¯s Derby. But his interest spiked once he saw Arozarena get announced as one of the first participants. A few days later, Garc¨ªa told Robert he was also going to participate and beat Arozarena. Once those two committed, they began to text Robert.

¡°When they told me they were participating, I got a little inspired to make the decision to participate in the event as well,¡± Robert said. ¡°It¡¯s going to be special. They have to battle it out in the first round, but hopefully they have to play against me in the second round.¡±

Outside of the friendly trash talk, the trio realizes how special the night will be. It¡¯s something they never dreamt of when they were teenagers in Cuba. Now, they¡¯re each focused on becoming the second Cuban-born player to win the Home Run Derby, joining Yoenis Cespedes, who won it in back-to-back years in 2013 and '14.

¡°It¡¯s great for us to have three Cubans here in the Derby and increase the chances of a Cuban winning this competition,¡± Arozarena said. ¡°But we just tell each other that we deserve this moment.¡±