Emotional Cuban homecoming for Rays' Varona

HAVANA (FOX 13) - While the Rays' trip to Cuba is historic, it's highly personal for one member of the Tampa Bay Rays organization. 

Cuban native and Rays minor leaguer Dayron Varona defected from Cuba in 2013 and hasn't seen his family since.  So it was an emotional moment when he embraced his relatives moments after arriving Monday.

What makes it even better is that Varona wasn't even supposed to be on the trip -- only current players on the major league roster were to travel.  But the team, led by Evan Longoria, agreed that he should make the trip.

Kevin Cash says that reunion alone made the whole trip worth it.

"This trip has probably taken a lot of people away from their everyday jobs, but once we got here and the reaction we saw from the family with Dayron Verona, I think it made everything worthwhile," the Rays skipper offered.  "Thirty minutes after we get to the hotel, this turns into a huge positive.  Everything else is just the icing on the cake."

Verona had been concerned about how he would be received by Cubans, but he appeared to be welcomed back by the Cuban fans in attendance Monday.

The Rays play the Cuban national team on Tuesday.