Cubs Players Take Field With Hurricane Irma Heavy on Their Minds

While the Chicago Cubs are battling to earn a playoff spot on the field, off-the-field concerns are weighing on their minds as Hurricane Irma bears down on the Caribbean and the state of Florida.

Multiple Cubs players, including Anthony Rizzo and Victor Caratini, weighed in on social media with thoughts and prayers to the people affected by the storm:

https://twitter.com/ARizzo44/status/905804483153842176

Rizzo, who hails from the Miami area, confirmed on Twitter that his family evacuated to Chicago from South Beach, and that everyone is safe.

Back-up catcher Victor Caratini, who hails from Puerto Rico, asked for thoughts and prayers for family members on the island, which was struck by Irma on Thursday.

Cubs infielder Javier Baez also posted a video, in Spanish, to his Twitter page, offering his support to the people of Puerto Rico.

Cubs catcher Alex Avila, who hit the go-ahead triple in the Cubs’ 1-0 win over the Pirates on Wednesday, grew up in South Florida, and his thoughts are with the victims in the storm’s path.

“I’ve got both my eyes (on it),” Avila said. “I’ve been just sitting in the hotel room watching the Weather Channel all morning. It’s talking to my wife and cousins and friends. They’ve been over to my house to try to get the stuff as best prepared for the storm.”

Avila’s family is evacuating Florida and is coming to stay with him in Chicago as Irma approaches, the catcher said.

Hurricane Irma, currently a Category 5 storm, is forecasted to make landfall in southern Florida either Saturday night or Sunday morning, according to the latest forecasts. Its current track has it moving all the way up the Florida peninsula and into Georgia by Monday morning. 

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