Cuban Players News for the 2024 Major League Baseball season. A compilation of several sources
Randy Arozarena homered and drove in four runs on Saturday, leading the Rays to a 7-2 victory over the Yankees in Tampa Bay.
The 29-year-old outfielder clobbered a 385-foot (102.5 mph EV) three-run shot off of Nestor Cortés in the third inning, giving the Rays a 4-2 lead that they would never relinquish. He also added a run-scoring double in the seventh inning and scored on a sacrifice fly by Isaac Paredes. The 29-year-old outfielder finished the afternoon 2-for-3 plus a walk, raising his season-slash to a still horrifying .154/.253/.329 to go along with seven homers, 17 RBI and six stolen bases.
Yasmani Grandal clobbered his first home run of the season and drove in three runs on Saturday, leading the Pirates in a wild 10-9 victory over the Cubs.
The 35-year-old backstop tattooed a Keegan Thompson fastball in the fifth inning, launching a 416-foot (107.7 mph EV) three-run shot that gave the Pirates a 9-8 lead. It was Grandal's first homer and first RBI in five games since making his season debut May 4, and he's gone 4-for-17 over that stretch as he settles into the starting job for Pittsburgh. He also singled and rode home on Michael Taylor’s two-run blast in the fourth inning. Grandal finished the night 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and is now hitting .235/.278/.471 with a homer and three RBI.
Yandy Díaz clubbed a leadoff home run on Saturday, helping to propel the Rays to victory over the Yankees.
Díaz jumped on the very first pitch that Nestor Cortés threw on Saturday, crushing a 401-foot (100.4 mph EV) solo shot over the wall in left-center. He also smacked an RBI double in the seventh inning and scored on a double off the bat of Randy Arozarena. Díaz finished the day 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three runs scored. On the season, he’s now slashing .250/.310/.340 with a pair of long balls and 18 RBI.
Nestor Cortés struggled in Saturday’s loss to the Rays, giving up four runs on five hits over his 5 1/3 innings of work.
Cortés punched out five batters on the afternoon, but also issued three free passes. The 29-year-old southpaw struggled to keep the baseball in the yard, giving up a leadoff homer to Yandy Díaz to start the home half of the first and then a three-run bomb to Randy Arozarena in the third — accounting for all of the damage done against him. Cortés generated 11 swings and misses on 89 pitches on the afternoon, posting a CSW of 31 percent. He’ll look to get back on track as he carries a 4.02 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and a 51/11 K/BB ratio (53 2/3 innings) into Friday’s matchup against the White Sox.
The Arizona Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had two hits.
Gurriel Jr. went 2-for-5 in an extra-innings 5-4 loss to the Orioles. In addition, he recorded his 24th RBI and eighth double of the season. In 36 games and 163 plate appearances, Gurriel has posted a .245/.282/.394 slash line with 5 homers and 21 runs.
Raisel Iglesias allowed a solo homer while picking up a strikeout in a relief appearance Saturday against the Mets.
Atlanta didn’t allow a hit over the first 8 2/3 innings, but Iglesias gave up the no-no — and the shutout — but allowing a homer to J.D. Martinez. Iglesias also gave up another hit and a walk, but he was able to escape the jam; although the escape comes without a save since he entered the game with a 4-0 lead.
