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South American esports organization, Beastcoast officially parted ways with their Dota 2 player Héctor “K1” Rodríguez on June 25, just days ahead of the Bali Major 2023.
K1 started playing with Beastcoast towards the end of 2019 and was a key factor in the majority of their accomplishments during his stint with the team. The player took a mental health break on May 24 and has been away from the competitive scene since.
In a Twitter post, Beastcoast revealed that the decision to part ways was mutual and thanked the player for his contribution to the team.
“Today we’ve made a difficult but mutual decision to part ways with an incredible player and teammate, [K1]. Thank you for being a pillar of strength and inspiration for not only Beastcoast, but the Dota 2 community. Wishing you a bright future ahead!” Beastcoast wrote.
Today we've made a difficult but mutual decision to part ways with an incredible player and teammate, @k1hectorxd . Thank you for being a pillar of strength and inspiration for not only Beastcoast, but the Dota 2 community.
Wishing you a bright future ahead! pic.twitter.com/ChzVvDDD13
— Beastcoast (@beastcoast) June 25, 2023
The esports organization’s tweet was followed up by an announcement from K1, asking interested teams in any region to reach out to him. The player also mentioned his willingness to leave the South American region if the situation arises.
With K1 on the squad, Beastcoast were able to record a number of successes, like finishing in top eight in The International 2022. The team continued their impressive performance in 2023, beating out other squads in the Dota Pro Circuit Division I season.
During K1’s time away, Beastcoast fielded David “Parker” Nicho Flores in his place. The player will continue with Beastcoast in the Bali Major 2023, set for Thursday, June 29.
Prior to joining Beastcoast, Parker played with teams like Infinity, Infamous, and Ravens over the past few years. Following K1’s departure, Parker represented Beastcoast towards the end of the ESL Pro Tour event, DreamLeague Season 20.
LFT any region pma tryhard willing to relocate😂
— hector antonio rodriguez (@k1hectorxd) June 25, 2023
The Bali Major 2023 will be Parker’s first international tournament since competing in The International 11’s last-chance qualifier with Infamous. The event’s group stage will pit Beastcoast against top-tier teams like Team Liquid, Team Aster, Shopify Rebellion, and Tundra.
The move may also have an impact on Beastcoast’s invite spot to this year’s iteration of The International in October. Beastcoast will reportedly lose 20% of their DPC points due to K1’s departure, resulting in their drop to 11th overall.
Only the top 12 teams are handed direct invites to TI, meaning Beastcoast are just two positions away from missing the free invite. Their decision to part ways with K1 will likely come under review if the team ends up dropping lower than the top 12.
With K1 gone, Beastcoast currently consists of Parker, Gonzalo “DarkMago” Herrera, Elvis “Scofield” Peña, Steven “StingeR” Vargas, and Rafael “Sacred” Yonatan.
