The MLB on Thursday suspended involvement of all its players in the coming Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP) in the winter after the recent sanctions imposed by the U.S. administration on the Venezuelan government.

"With respect to the Venezuelan Winter League, MLB will suspend its involvement in that league until it receives direction from the relevant agencies that participation by affiliated players is consistent with the Executive Order," said the MLB in a statement.

Venezuela has been a big source for MLB players. According to the Wall Street Journal, more than 400 from this country, including Hall-of-Fame shortstop Luis Aparicio and modern superstar Miguel Cabrera, have played in the major league. No other foreign country has contributed that many MLB players.

Therefore, many Venezuelans from both the major league and minor league often go back home to play in the Venezuelan league winter season, which has eight teams and starts in October.

The U.S. administration in August froze state assets of Venezuela while threatening to punish those who do business with the Venezuelan government led by President Nicolas Maduro. According to Reuters, the LVBP received 12 million U.S. dollars of sponsorship from state oil company PDVSA, which was targeted by sanctions in January.

By March, there are in total 68 Venezuelan players in the MLB. Though that number falls behind Dominican Republic’s 102 and there have been fewer stars going back to play in the LVBP, there are still hundreds of Venezuelan players in the minor league. According to Reuters, the ban will affect those players too.

Another source of Reuters revealed that Maduro’s government asked the LVBP this week to make the coming winter season take place "however it happens." With a shortfall of possibly hundreds of players, it won't be an easy job for the Venezuelan league.