Major League Baseball

Villarreal's family unharmed in kidnapping attempt

Published Mar. 4, 2013 2:17 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Detroit Tigers say reliever Brayan Villarreal is not expected to leave spring training after his family escaped unharmed from a kidnapping attempt in Venezuela on Friday night.

Villarreal has remained with the team. Manager Jim Leyland did not want to comment further about the matter, saying Sunday: ''The less said, the better.''

Villarreal went 3-5 with a 2.63 ERA last year in 50 appearances. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out 66 hitters in 54 2-3 innings.

Security back home has been a concern in recent years for Venezuelan players and their families because of a rising wave of kidnappings.

Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was abducted outside his family's home shortly after the end of the 2011 season and rescued by police commandos two days later.

In June 2009, Colorado Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba's 11-year-old son and brother-in-law were kidnapped and released a day later.

The mother of former pitcher Ugueth Urbina, a two-time All-Star, spent more than five months in captivity until she was rescued in early 2005.