Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources Jul 6 Johan Oviedo was charged with five runs over 6 2/3 innings on Thursday in a loss to the Dodgers. Oviedo (3-10) took the loss Thursday versus the Dodgers, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six over 6.2 innings. Oviedo gave up a two-run home run to Freddie Freeman in the first inning, but then retired 15 of the next 17 batters. In the sixth, Oviedo ran into more trouble with Max Muncy taking him deep for another two-run blast that decided the game. With five homers allowed over his last four starts, Oviedo's had some issues keeping the ball down. Despite making it through 6 2/3 innings, Oviedo yielded five earned runs in losing his seventh straight decision, though some of them were of the hard-luck variety. Including Thursday night’s game, Oviedo has produced a combined 5.52 ERA in his last 45 ⅔ innings that date back to May 19 against the Diamondbacks, the last time he won a decision. He has a 4.75 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 87/40 K/BB ratio across 100 innings (18 starts) just before the All-Star break. There was no damage done by Luis Robert during Thursday's double header. In the doubleheader on Thursday against Toronto, Luis Robert was quiet with his bat at the plate. He went 1-for-8 with two strikeouts in a double loss for Chicago, losing 6-2, 5-4. This season, Luis Robert of the Chicago White Sox has been phenomenal with a .378 wOBA, 25 home runs and 49 RBIs, making him an All-Star. Yandy Díaz and Randy Arozarena combined for just one hit Thursday. During Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, Diaz and Arozarena were 1-for-7 combined. Díaz additionally drew two walks, whereas Arozarena - who went hitless - struck out twice in the inning. After a strong start to the season for the team, both players were selected to the 2023 All-Star Game after an excellent first half of the season where the team is second in the Majors in wins. Against the Red Sox on Thursday, Adolis García finished the game without an RBI. As a result of Texas' 10-6 loss to Boston, García did not add to his major league lead (71) in RBIs. In addition to his 19th double of the year, García went 1-for-3 with two runs and two walks in the game. The player, who deservedly was selected to the All-Star Game of 2023 after a phenomenal first half of the season, owns an offensive line of .262/.332/.515 with 22 home runs, 71 RBI and six stolen bases. Miguel Vargas batted seventh on Thursday. Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Vargas was again in the starting lineup for Thursday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Vargas started at second base on Thursday and batted seventh versus right-hander Johan Oviedo and the Pirates. The Dodgers beat Oviedo and the Pirates 5-2 and Vargas went 1-for-3 in the game with no walks/strikeouts. Vargas is batting .197 this season in 299 plate appearances and it is expected that he will be sent to the minors at any given time. Dairon Blanco had a double against Cleveland on Thursday. Blanco saw action on Thursday 6-1 loss to the Guardians and went 1-for-4 with a double, his third of the season, as he played center field for the Royals. It appears that Blanco, considered more of a defensive player but also with remarkable speed on the bases, will be relegated to filling in for a Kansas City team that, along with Oakland, has the worst record in the majors. Andy Ibáñez doubled, walked and scored a pair of runs on Thursday as the Tigers crushed the Athletics. Ibáñez crushed a one-out double off of Hogan Harris in the opening inning, then came around to score on a two-run single off the bat of Javier Báez. He also walked and scored a run on a sacrifice fly in the third inning. On the season, the versatile 30-year-old is now hitting .228/.264/.408 with six homers and 17 RBI in 57 games. As part of Thursday's double header, Oscar Colás had only one hit. Colás had a chance to play both Chicago games on Thursday and overall went 1-for-7 with a RBI and three strikoeuts. In Game 1 Colás added his double #3 and RBI #8 of the year, also scoring a run, but in Game 2 he was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. With this being Colás' second chance in the Majors, and with a team like the White Sox that is well known for its dismal results as a result of its inconsistent performances, he knows that he is going to be tested. José Abreu was hitless on Thursday. Abreu went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Friday's 5-1 game loss to the Mariners. As a matter of fact, fans were even raving about the Cuban when he twice missed with RISP. Abreu has seven hit in six games in July -- including two doubles and a home run -- but he still has a disastrous .281 wOBA - the lowest of his career - and 77 wRC+ across 355 plate appearances on the season. Yasmani Grandal hitless in Game 1 and sitting during Game 2. Grandal was not in the lineup for the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Blue Jays. Grandal went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the first game while playing behind the plate.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources Jul 5 Luis Robert Jr. has been awarded the top seed in the 2023 All-Star Home Run Derby in Seattle. Robert Jr., who has launched a career-high 25 round-trippers this season, will face off against Adley Rutschman to kick off the night at T-Mobile Park. It’ll be two-time champion Pete Alonso squaring off against hometown hero Julio Rodríguez. Additionally, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. takes on Mookie Betts, and fellow countrymen Randy Arozarena and Adolis García will battle it out in the opening round. Adolis García hits homer #22 Wednesday and announces he will compete in the 2023 All-Star Home Run Derby in Seattle. On Wednesday he went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 4-2 loss to the Red Sox. The home run was García's 22nd and seventh in the last 15 games. It was also announced that García will compete in the 2023 All-Star Home Run Derby in Seattle. García was the final entrant into the Derby field, which also includes Pete Alonso, Julio Rodríguez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Luis Robert Jr., Randy Arozarena, Mookie Betts and Adley Rutschman. The 30-year-old slugger has launched 22 homers and leads the majors with 71 RBI this season through 85 games. Yennier Cano was rescued by Bautista. Bautista picked up the save in Wednesday's 6-3 win over the Yankees rescuing Yennier Cano in the 8th inning. Cano took over in the eighth inning as the game was 4-2 and he tried to preserve the lead, but Anthony Volpe led off the inning with a home run of his own. It was the 1st HR given up by Cano this season. It wasn't long before Billy McKinney singled, and even when Cano got the next two batters, he was replaced for Bautista to face Giancarlo Stanton.This is the second time this season Cano has been hit by the Yankees, and despite scoring his #19 hold, Cano already seems human and is unable to maintain that ERA that made him one of the best relievers to start this season. Despite the fantastic numbers, 1.51 ERA, 37 SO in 41.2 innings, he has been hit in the last seven games. His ERA in the last 6 2/3 innings has been 4.05. Aledmys Díaz started at third base and batted cleanup against the Tigers and Eduardo Rodríguez on Wednesday. Díaz went 1-for-5 with his 10th double of the season and his RBI #14. Díaz is mostly sitting against righties, but he’s the cleanup man against lefties, even though he has reverse splits over the course of his career. Lifetime, he has a .759 OPS against righties and a .701 OPS versus lefties. This year, he’s been similarly bad against everyone, posting a .541 OPS versus righties and a .530 OPS against lefties. Oscar Colás was officially recalled from minors. Colás was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday. Colás had been swinging a hot bat with Charlotte, putting up a 1.253 OPS with seven home runs over his last 10 contests. He batted only .211/.265/.276 in his first 25 games for the White Sox before being sent down back in late April, but the talented 24-year-old is worth another shot with the team as he settles back in in right field for the Pale Hose. On Tuesday night he went 1-for-4 with a strikeout. Due to rain, the White Sox-Blue Jays game had to be postponed on Wednesday. Colás is optimistic that he will be able to start today during a doubleheader against the Blue Jays. Miguel Vargas was out of the lineup again Wednesday. Vargas remained out of the lineup Wednesday versus the Pirates. Vargas was also absent from the Dodgers' starting lineup Tuesday and went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts off the bench as his season slash line dipped to .195/.299/.367 through 294 plate appearances. Vargas went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in Monday's series opener.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources Jul 2 Luis Robert Jr. doubled, drew a pair of walks and stole a base on Sunday as the White Sox dispatched of the Athletics in Oakland. Robert Jr. drew a one-out walk in the opening inning and swiped second base, but the White Sox were unable to cash him in. The 25-year-old has been having an outstanding season at the dish — slashing .276/.337/.575 with 24 homers, 46 RBI and eight stolen bases through his first 83 contests. It was confirmed Sunday that Luis Robert was selected as an All-Star for the season, as a result of his excellent work in the first half of the season. Randy Arozarena went 2-for-4 and slugged his 16th home run of the season in a losing effort against the Mariners on Sunday afternoon. Arozarena tagged Mariners’ right-hander Luis Castillo for his 359-foot solo shot in the opening inning on Sunday. He also singled and scored on a two-run double by Luke Raley in the third inning. With his two-hit attack, the 28-year-old outfielder is now slashing a terrific .287/.398/.488 to go with 16 homers, 58 RBI and nine stolen bases on the season. Cionel Pérez snags win Sunday. Pérez (2-1) earned the win Sunday over the Twins, striking out one in a perfect inning. Perez had allowed at least one baserunner in each of his last 13 appearances, giving up 10 runs (eight earned) on 16 hits and seven walks over 12.2 innings in that span. He was an effective setup man last season, but Perez's regression with walks (4.7 BB/9) has made it a difficult first half of 2023 for the southpaw. He has a 4.45 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and 22:16 K:BB over 30.1 innings while adding eight holds through 33 appearances. Perez will still get some late-inning work, but he's no threat to Felix Bautista's closer role, whiel Danny Coulombe has surpassed Perez as the Orioles' top lefty reliever. José Abreu raps out three hits. Abreu went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored in Sunday's 5-3 win over the Rangers. Abreu's hitting came around as he batted .292 in June, and after an 0-for-3 effort Saturday, he bounced back with Sunday's three-hit game. It's just his second three-hit effort of the year, the other being June 14 versus the Nationals. The first baseman is up to a .240/.291/.344 slash line with six home runs, 41 RBI, 26 runs scored and 14 doubles through 80 contests. Making more consistent contact is helping improve his line, but he's still lacking in the power department, though he has an extra-base hit in five of his last eight contests. Aroldis Chapman worked a scoreless seventh inning against the Astros in his Rangers debut Sunday. Chapman allowed one hit and struck out two over a scoreless seventh inning in Sunday's 5-3 loss to Houston. Chapman was acquired by Texas last week and made his debut for the new club. He entered a tied game, and it stayed that way after he left. There may be save opportunities down the road for Chapman, who could serve as a right-handed complement to lefty closer Will Smith. Adrián Morejón pitched well in his spot start Sunday, throwing three scoreless innings against the Reds. Morejón did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing two hits and two walks over three scoreless innings against the Reds. He struck out one. Morejón made his first start since 2021 in place of Yu Darvish (illness) and was stretched out to three frames after going fewer than two innings in each of his first four appearances of the season. Morejón hadn’t gotten more than five outs in a game in four appearances since being called up by the Padres, so three innings was pretty much his limit today. He’s allowed three runs with a 6/4 K/BB ratio in seven innings for San Diego. If Darvish is forced to miss extended time, Morejón could receive another starting look, however, it's likely he'll remain in the pen for San Diego. Raisel Iglesias was perfect in the ninth against the Marlins to earn his 14th save Sunday. Iglesias picked up the save Sunday against the Marlins. He struck out one over a clean inning. Iglesias tallied his second consecutive perfect inning and has now converted on 12 of his 14 save opportunities in 2023. Though Iglesias has had an up-and-down season, allowing multiple runs in four of his 25 appearances while giving up no hits 14 times, Iglesias is tied for the fifth most saves in MLB since being activated from the injured list on May 5. Yasmani Grandal was not in the White Sox’ starting lineup for Sunday’s finale against the A’s. Seby Zavala handled the catching duties as the 34-year-old took a day off. Grandal is hitting .261/.320/.389 with six homers, which is remarkably better than last year, but everyone is missing the 2021 version of Yasmani Grandal. Yandy Díaz was absent from the Rays’ starting lineup for Sunday’s showdown against the Mariners. It was just a day off for the 31-year-old first baseman. Díaz’s over-the-fence power has waned as the season has gone on, but he is still producing at the top of the lineup for the Rays. He is hitting .319/.404/.513 with 12 homers and 55 runs scored. Yordan Álvarez took batting practice at 60 percent intensity on Sunday. Álvarez told reporters that he hopes to ramp it up more on Monday before he hits on the field later in the week. The 26-year-old superstar has been on the shelf since early June with a right oblique strain. The All-Star Game selection of Yordan Alvarez for the second time in his career was also confirmed on Sunday. Aledmys Díaz didn't start Sunday. Díaz was out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox. Díaz went 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run Friday to break out of an 0-for-15 slump, and he was on the bench Sunday for the second straight game. Yuli Gurriel was back on bench Sunday. Gurriel was out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta. After being struck on the face by a grounder during pregame warmups Thursday, Gurriel missed a pair of games before returning to the lineup for Saturday's 7-0 loss. He went 1-for-3 with a walk in the contest but returned to the bench for the series finale, paving the way for Garrett Cooper to step back in at first base. Even before he was hit in the face, Gurriel had sat out the Marlins' prior two games, so he appears to have moved back into a reserve role after he had been a regular in the lineup for much of June.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources Jun 29 Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr.: Provides offense in loss. Gurriel went 1-for-3 with a walk and solo home run in Thursday's 6-1 loss to the Rays. Gurriel's sixth-inning home run was all the Diamondbacks could muster against Tampa Bay pitching. The team went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position. He was a steady contributor over the first two months, but Gurriel has hit the skids in June. The 29-year-old is batting .177/.235/.342 over 21 games during the month. White Sox's Luis Robert: Swipes two bags. Robert went 1-for-3 with a walk, a HBP, two runs scored and two stolen bases Thursday against the Angels. Robert has showcased his power for much of June, as he's smacked 10 homers across 21 games. However, on Thursday he also showed off his speed by swiping two bags to bring his season total to six. Robert was sidelined by hamstring and hip issues early in the campaign, so he may become more active on the basepaths as the season progresses -- assuming he can avoid any additional injuries. Aroldis Chapman got the win on Thursday. Dairon Blanco did not play. After Kansas beat Cleveland 4-3 in extra innings, Chapman earned his fourth win of the season. In the top of the 10th inning, Chapman allowed an unearned run - José Ramírez stole home plate - with two strikeouts and Kansas scored two in the bottom of the inning to win. After displaying his famed speed once again and posting a 2.45 ERA in 29 1/3 innings as a setup man with a 53:20 K:BB ratio, Chapman is bound to be one of the most talked about trade pieces in the second half of the season. The extra bases continue to add up for José Abreu. In Houston's lopsided 14-0 win over St. Louis, Abreu went 1 for 3 with a double (13), two RBIs, a run scored, and a walk. After spending two games on the bench to find his swing, Abreu started for the third straight day. As a result of the veteran Cuban starter's rest or work, it appears to have worked. With a double, a home run, and five RBIs in three games since returning to the lineup, Abreu has gone 4-for-11 (.364). Currently, the Cuban has hit for six consecutive games and his offensive line of .293/.313/.522 with five home runs and 21 RBI in June shows he's on the right track. Adolis García and Andy Ibáñez each had one hit on Thursday. As part of Detroit's 8-5 win over Texas on Thursday, Ibáñez went 1 for 4 with one RBI, one walk and two strikeouts. In 23 games this June, the Cuban utility player posted a .301/.346/.521 offensive line with three home runs and seven RBIs. Adolis, who is having a phenomenal season, went 1-5 with a strikeout in the same game. This year, Adolis has slashed .263/.333/.510 with 20 HR and 66 RBI. Yandy Díaz was hitless on Thursday. For only the sixth time this June, Diaz went hitless, going 0-for-3 with one run, two walks, and one strikeout against Arizona. At the moment, his power has disappeared after accumulating only five doubles and no home runs in June. During the month of June, he has hit .333/.400/.389 while driving in 8, scoring 16 runs, and walking 10 times. Miguel Vargas went 1-for-4 with a triple on Thursday against the Rockies. It was the fourth triple of the season for the 23-year-old infielder. He’s hitting .199/.302/.378 with seven homers, 31 RBI, and three steals across 283 plate appearances. Vargas may get sent to the minors anytime soon because of his bat. Rays' Randy Arozarena: Got a breather Thursday. Arozarena was absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest in Arizona. It's a rare day off for Arozarena, who had been in the lineup for each of the Rays' last 21 tilts. Aledmis Díaz had no hits on Thursday. Oakland lost to the Yankees 10-4 as Aledmis did not see action in the regular lineup. Instead, he pinch-hit and went 0-for-1. Yuli Gurriel has been scratched from Thursday’s lineup due to a facial injury. Gurriel was in Thursday's lineup against Boston but was scratched after taking a groundball to the nose in pregame warmups. He seemingly avoided serious injury and could return as early as Friday, when the Marlins open a series at Atlanta. Gurriel took the ball to the face during pregame defensive work at first base and will get the rest of the night off. The good news is that Gurriel did not suffer any broken bones to his face Thursday and is considered day-to-day.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources Jun 28 José Abreu had a two-run homer, a single and a sac fly against the Cardinals on Wednesday. Abreu went 2-for-4 with a two run homer and a sacrifice fly in a 10-7 win against the Cardinals. Abreu has five homers in 15 games after hitting just one in his first 61. We wouldn’t expect this outburst to stick around for long, but he also shouldn’t go back to looking nearly as futile as he did in the first two months. He is slashing .235/.284/.338 with 6 homers and 39 RBI for the season but has an offensive line of .276/.258/.517 with 2 HR and 6 RBI in his last seven games. The 2020 American League MVP remains in the midst of a career-worst season, but he's at least shown some signs of life this month, turning in a .822 OPS through 22 games this month. Adolis García went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer and three RBI on Wednesday, powering the Rangers to a 10-0 blowout win over the Tigers. García finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle in this one, spearheading a relentless Rangers’ offensive onslaught that featured 10 runs on 14 hits. He did most of his damage in the late stages of the contest, launching a two-run homer in the sixth inning and also adding an RBI single in the ensuing frame. He’s batting .264/.335/.515 with 60 runs scored, 20 homers, 66 RBI and six stolen bases across 343 plate appearances this season. White Sox's Luis Robert: Homers again Wednesday. Robert went 2-for-6 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Wednesday's 11-5 win over the Angels. The long ball was his fifth in his last five games, and 10 of Robert's 23 homers on the season have come in his last 20 contests. The outfielder also has multiple hits in three of his last four games as he continues an impressive surge near the midpoint of the campaign. Robert is slashing .270/.324/.567 with 45 RBI, 54 runs scored and four stolen bases through 79 contests overall. Rays' Yandy Díaz: Racks up three hits. Díaz went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Diamondbacks. This was Díaz's fifth multi-hit effort in his last 11 games, a span in which he's gone 19-for-46 (.413) with three doubles, four RBI and nine runs scored. The infielder continues to hit for a lofty average, which rose to .322 following Wednesday's strong game. He's added a .928 OPS, 38 RBI, 52 runs scored and 16 doubles through 68 contests this season, a vast improvement on his usually lackluster counting stats. Barring a second-half collapse, Díaz is on pace for career numbers nearly across the board. Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two, for a save Wednesday against the Twins. No shakiness from Iglesias today after he allowed two hits Sunday and two homers Saturday. Iglesias picked up the save in Wednesday's 3-0 victory over the Twins, striking out two over one scoreless inning. Iglesias entered the game with a three-run lead in the ninth and needed only 10 pitches to run through the heart of the Twins' lineup and notch his 13th save. He struck out Byron Buxton on three straight pitches to open the frame before fanning Royce Lewis in the next at-bat, with both hitters falling victim to Iglesias' changeup. The reliever has now converted his last four save attempts and holds a 19:1 KK:BB ratio in June. He’s 13-for-15 saving games. On Wednesday, Jorge Soler went hitless. Gurriel with another day off. Soler was hitless in the Marlins' 6-2 win over Boston while Gurriel wasn't even in the lineup. The 0-for-3 performance left Soler with one run, two walks and one strikeout, giving him a .247/.347/.520 line with 21 home runs and 46 RBIs for the year. Despite posting his best season since 2019, Soler is hitting just .200/.349/.340 with 2 home runs and 8 RBIs in his last 15 games and .160/.222/.200 without home runs in his last seven. On Wednesday, Aledmis Díaz went hitless. Okland faced the Yankees on Wednesday night, and Domingo Germán produced the highlight of the season by pitching the 24th perfect game in Major League history. With such a job from the Yankees' Dominican right-hander, Díaz finished 0-for-3 on the night without much to criticize. As a result of Germán's excellent pitching, Oakland's lineup was kept under control at all times. It took Germán just 99 pitches and 72 strikes to leave his mark on Major League Baseball history. Miguel Vargas was hitless again. Vargas returned to the Dodgers' lineup for the first time since June 25 in Wednesday's 9-8 loss to Colorado .During the game, Vargas went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout, dropping his batting average to .198.A trip to the Minors seems imminent for Vargas, who has received countless opportunities in the Dodgers' second base defense and in the regular lineup.Despite being a promising young player, he is slashing .198/.301/.371 with 7 home runs and 30 RBI for a team that needs his offense to keep producing. Yordan Álvarez progressed to hitting off a tee on Wednesday. Álvarez is expected to be out until mid-July due to a right oblique strain, so it’s a positive sign that he’s already gotten to the point that he can resume swinging a bat and hitting without any issues. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. became an American citizen. Gurriel Jr. was out of the lineup Wednesday versus the Brewers. Gurriel got a breather after he started the first two games of the series, going 1-for-9 with two RBI and two strikeouts. Ultimately, Gurriel was swearing his American citizenship. On his Instagram account, Gurriel Jr. posted a photo with his US citizenship certificate and the words: "One of the most important days in my life!! us" Yasmani Grandal did not start Wednesday. Grandal wasn't in the White Sox's lineup Wednesday against the Angels. Grandal is 3-for-9 with a home run over his last four games and received a day off Wednesday.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources Jun 27 Adolis García homers again Tuesday. García went 1-for-3 with a solo homer, a walk, an RBI and a run in Tuesday's victory over the Tigers. García homered for the second straight day and for the fourth time in Texas' past seven games, bringing his season total to 19. The 30-year-old also ranks second in MLB with 63 RBI and has a .258/.331/.500 slash line with 15 doubles, 58 runs and six steals through 78 contests. Dairon Blanco steals and scores in loss. Blanco stole a base and scored a run as a pinch runner in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Guardians. Blanco ran for Edward Olivares in the eighth inning, stole second and scored on a fielder's choice. With Kyle Isbel back from a hamstring injury, Blanco has an even tougher path to playing time going forward. He's hit well in spurts but is batting just .242 with two doubles, two triples, two steals, two RBI and three runs scored over 37 plate appearances. Blanco's speed could make him more attractive as a pinch runner and defensive replacement while MJ Melendez and Olivares compete for playing time in left field. Adrián Morejón was hit hard Tuesday. For the Cuban, who has just returned from an injury that kept him out for most of the first half of the season, it's a normal process. Morejón, who needs work to return to his form and seek a defined role in the Padres' roster, was punished against the Pirates in his fourth outing as a reliever this year, where he gave up three earned runs with a homer from Nick González in 1 2/3 innings. Aside from the five hits, he didn't walk and struck out four, which was a positive note. Cionel Pérez pitched a scoreless inning against the Reds on Tuesday. The young reliever handled a pretty hefty lineup Tuesday during the 9th inning, tossing 16 pitches (12 strikes) and fanning Nick Senzel followed by a walk to Joey Votto. Orioles lost the game 3-1. For Cionel was his third straight scoreless inning. The left-hander is trying to get a chance to work in high-leverage situations for the Orioles, but his ERA of 4.76 in 31 games and 28 1/3 inning is not helping him. Jorge Soler: Two hits on Tuesday. Yuli Gurriel hitless. Soler went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI in Tuesday's 10-1 win over the Red Sox. The designated hitter and right fielder is slashing .250/.346/.525 with 46 RBI, 42 runs scored, a stolen base and 13 doubles through 76 contests while enjoying his best season since 2019. Yuli Gurriel acted as a pinch hitter and went 0-for-1 in the same game. Néstor Cortés, who received a cortisone injection for his rotator cuff strain, is set to throw a bullpen session Friday or Saturday. Cortés did some light throwing Tuesday and said afterwards that he thinks he’s turned the corner. He’ll probably be put on track to return just after the All-Star break. Athletics' Aledmys Díaz: On bench Tuesday. Díaz was not in the lineup Tuesday against the Yankees. Tyler Wade started at shortstop and batted eighth for the Athletics. Díaz has been getting more playing time with Kevin Smith still sitting on the injured list, but the 32-year-old holds a weak .206/.264/.278 slash line in 197 plate appearances this season. Dodgers' Miguel Vargas: Out of lineup Tuesday. Vargas was not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rockies. Vargas has really struggled as of late, and the Dodgers will go with Mookie Betts at second base against Colorado on Tuesday with Max Muncy coming off the injured list to play third. There have been flashes of brilliance from Vargas in his rookie season, but he's in danger of losing more playing time if the hits continue to not drop in.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources Jun 26 Luis Robert Jr. went 2-for-4 and swatted his 22nd home run of the season on Monday — accounting for the White Sox’ lone tally in a loss to the Angels. Robert went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to the Angels on Monday. The dynamic 25-year-old outfielder opened the scoring in the ballgame with a 401-foot (103.8 mph EV) solo shot off of Reid Detmers in the top half of the first inning. That would be their only run in the ballgame. Robert Jr. also singled with one out in the ninth, but was erased on a double play ball. He has been terrific this season — slashing .272/.328/.569 with the aforementioned 22 long balls, 43 RBI and four stolen bases. Adolis García blasted his 18th home run of the season on Monday night as the Rangers fell to the Tigers in the opener of their four-game series. García went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to the Tigers on Monday. The 30-year-old slugger walloped a fastball from Mason Englert for a 424-foot (106.8 mph EV) solo shot to center in the fourth inning, pulling the Rangers to within two runs at 4-2. That would be as close as they would get. It was also García’s only hit in four at-bats on the night. It was his third homer in his past six contests following a 28-game stretch during which he went deep just once. Even with that power drought, García is tied for fourth in the American League with 18 homers and ranks second with 61 RBI on the campaign. He’s having an extremely productive season in the middle of the Rangers’ lineup — slashing .258/.327/.492 with six stolen bases. Andy Ibáñez went 2-for-4 and clubbed a three-run home run on Monday night, leading the Tigers to a 7-2 victory over the Rangers in Arlington. Ibáñez broke a 1-1 tie wide open with his 427-foot (106.5 mph EV) three-run blast off of Andrew Heaney in the third inning, giving the Tigers a lead they would never relinquish. He also singled in the contest. The 30-year-old journeyman has worked his way into a regular role with the Tigers and is now hitting .238/.273/.422 to go along with five homers and 14 RBI on the season. The utility man continues to see regular playing time as he moves across the diamond. He started in right field Monday and has also seen time in left as well as every infield position except for shortstop. Ibáñez is hitting .328 with three home runs and an 18.5 percent strikeout rate in 20 games this month while moving into a regular role, but he could start playing less against righties once Akil Baddoo (quad) and Riley Greene (lower leg) return from the injured list. White Sox's Yasmani Grandal: On bench Monday. Grandal is not in the lineup Monday against the Angels. Seby Zavala will catch and bat ninth. This looks to be a routine day off for Grandal, who missed some time last week with a sore right knee but started behind the plate both Saturday and Sunday versus Boston.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources Jun 25 Luis Robert Jr. went 3-for-4 with two homers and three RBI in the White Sox's 4-1 win over the Red Sox on Sunday. Robert took Kutter Crawford deep in the fourth and sixth innings to push the White Sox to the win. Over his last 13 games, Robert has four multi-hit efforts and seven of his 21 homers for the season. The star outfielder is slashing .269/.326/.559 with 42 RBI, 51 runs scored, 20 doubles and four stolen bases through 76 contests as a potent power bat in the heart of Chicago's order. It doesn't seem like Robert is being talked up as an All-Star, but he has 21 homers and an .885 OPS that's 15th in the majors and essentially a match for Randy Arozarena's mark. He's the only player in baseball with at least 18 homers and 18 doubles and he has 20 of both. Braves' Raisel Iglesias: Works around traffic again. Iglesias allowed two hits and struck out one without walking a batter in a scoreless inning to earn the save in Sunday's 7-6 win over the Reds. Iglesias has allowed multiple hits in five of his last seven appearances, but he's emerged with three saves in four chances and one win in that span. It's a little more of a high-wire act than Atlanta fans and fantasy managers want to see, but he remains entrenched as the closer. Iglesias now has a 4.57 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 28:6 K:BB over 21.2 innings this season with 12 saves in 14 chances. Yandy Díaz went 4-for-4 to lead the Rays to a 3-1 win over the Royals on Sunday. Díaz had more hits today than his teammates (three) and as many as the Royals lineup. At .316, he's barely behind Bo Bichette (.318) and Austin Hays (.318) for the AL lead in batting average. José Abreu: Homer, two RBI in win. Abreu went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run, a run and a strikeout in Sunday's 6-5 victory over the Dodgers in 11 innings. Abreu hit his home run in the fourth inning to give the Astros a 4-1 lead. He added a single in the top of the eleventh inning. The veteran first baseman now has five homers on the season, including four in his last 15 games. He's gone 7-for-28 (.250) with three RBI in his last seven contests. After a very slow start in Houston, Abreu is now slashing .232/.283/.326 with 22 runs scored and 36 RBI through 311 plate appearances on the campaign. Johan Oviedo pitched seven innings of one-run ball Sunday in a loss to the Marlins. No help for Oviedo, who is 0-4 in June despite turning in four quality starts in five tries. He has a 2.96 in his last nine starts, though his peripherals aren't particularly strong. Dairon Blanco: Hitless on Sunday against the Rays. Blanco went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts Sunday in a 3-1 loss to the Rays. Blanco started his five game of the team's last six, and he went 4-for-17 in that span. Jorge Soler is not in the Marlins' starting lineup for Sunday's contest against the Pirates. It appears to be a regularly scheduled day of rest for the 31-year-old slugger. Soler has been outstanding this season, hitting .248/.346/.526 with 21 homers and 45 RBI across 312 plate appearances. Jesús Sánchez will start in right field and bat cleanup in his absence. Miguel Vargas was not in the Dodgers' starting lineup for Sunday's finale against the Astros. Vargas started Sunday's game on the bench as Mookie Betts started at second base. Vargas started the previous eight games and received a day to regroup after he went 1-for-29 during that stretch. The talented 23-year-old has been on the struggle bus all year and is hitting .202/.303/.378 with seven homers and three stolen bases across 273 plate appearances. He came in the game as a pinch hitter and struck out.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources Jun 22 Randy Arozarena went 3-for-5 with 3 RBI against the Royals on Thursday in a loss. Arozarena went 3-for-5 with three RBI in a loss to Kansas City on Thursday. Arozarena singled in a run in the first, and singled in two more in a three-run seventh that got the Rays a brief two-run lead. It was the third three-hit performance in four games for the outfielder, who has gone 9-for-14 with five RBI over that span. Arozarena is hitting .347/.492/.571 in his last 15 games with a .298/.412/.500 season line. The stolen-base attempts have plummeted a bit from his 44 last year -- he only has nine successful attempts so far -- but otherwise he's been exactly what fans expect from him. Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Collects win. Chapman (3-2) struck out the side in a perfect inning to earn the win Thursday over the Rays. Chapman pitched the eighth inning with the game tied 5-5, and the Royals pulled ahead in the ninth. He's allowed just one run and one hit through six innings in June, but he's also walked six while striking out 15. The southpaw continues to be effective in high-leverage spots with a 2.73 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 48:20 K:BB over 26.1 innings while adding two saves, eight holds and two blown saves this season. Raisel Iglesias was credited with a win after pitching a perfect ninth in a tie game Thursday. Iglesias (3-2) earned the win Thursday in Philadelphia after he struck out one and didn't allow a baserunner in a scoreless ninth inning. The veteran right-hander delivered a perfect top of the ninth to preserve a scoreless tie, and he picked up the win since Atlanta outscored Philadelphia 5-1 during the extra frame. Braves scored five times in the top of the 10th to put Iglesias in line of for the win. Iglesias had been scored upon in three of his previous four outings, so a clean inning Thursday was a welcome sight. He has a 4.12 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 24:6 K:BB over 19.2 innings this year and remains the club's primary closer. It's his third win to go along with 10 saves in 21 appearances. Multi-hit performance by Yandy Díaz Díaz went 3-for-5 with two runs scored on Thursday against the Royals. Now Díaz has four multi-hit performances in his last ten games, during which he's also tallied 8 runs scored and four RBI. Díaz is slashing .309/.398/.516 with 12 home runs and 38 RBI this year. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. did not play on Thursday. Gurriel was not in the lineup against the Brewers on Thursday. The fact that Gurriel is resting for a second consecutive game is strange. Recently, he has struggled, hitting 1-for-9 with two RBIs and two strikeouts in the first two games of the series against the Brewers.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources Jun 21 Randy Arozarena went 3-for-3 with a homer, a double, two RBI and a walk against the Orioles on Wednesday. Arozarena went 3-for-3 with a walk, a double and a solo home run Wednesday against the Orioles. Arozarena took Tyler Wells deep in the second inning to tally his 14th homer of the season. He has experienced a power outage of late, as across his last 30 games prior to Wednesday's contest he had slugged just .333 with six extra-base hits. Even with that slow stretch, Arozarena has shown significant growth this season by dropping his strikeout rate to 23.6 percent while drawing free passes at a 13.3 percent clip across 313 plate appearances. Arozarena is currently third in AL All-Star balloting and deservedly so, given his excellent .292/.409/.498 line in 73 games. He's 11th in the majors with his .907 OPS and tied for 12th with 50 RBI. Yandy Díaz: Multi-hit performance. Díaz went 2-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI on Wednesday against the Orioles. Díaz has three multi-hit performances in his last nine games, during which he's also tallied six runs scored and four RBI. Despite that positive stretch, he's experienced a dip in power of late, as he entered Wednesday's contest slugging only .333 across 63 at-bats in June. Even so, Díaz has maintained a .212 ISO and .515 slugging percentage on the season, both of which are nearly 100 points above his previous career highs. Miguel Vargas went 1-for-4 with a solo homer on Wednesday against the Angels. Vargas went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 2-0 win over the Angels. Vargas had gone 0-for-20 over his last six games and came up empty in his first three at-bats Wednesday before knocking a ninth-inning solo shot. It snapped an 11-game homer drought for the infielder. He continues to see regular playing time, but he's slashing just .207/.309/.388 with seven homers, 30 RBI, 32 runs scored and three stolen bases over 69 contests. Vargas also struck out three times Wednesday, but he's displayed a decent eye at the plate with a 19.9 percent strikeout rate and a 12.4 percent walk rate on the year. Braves' Raisel Iglesias: Hangs on for 10th save. Iglesias picked up the save in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Phillies. He allowed a run on two hits while logging a strikeout in the ninth inning. Iglesias has now allowed five runs over his last four innings, though he managed to close out the Phillies on Tuesday while improving to 10-for-12 in save chances this season. The 33-year-old Iglesias now has a 4.34 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 23:6 K:BB across 18.2 innings in his first full season as Atlanta's closer. Yasmani Grandal was scratched from Wednesday's lineup against the Rangers due to right knee soreness. Grandal was scratched from Wednesday's lineup due to right knee soreness. Grandal is out of Wednesday's contest but is officially listed as day-to-day, suggesting the injury may not be too severe. The White Sox have an off day Thursday, so Grandal will benefit from an extra day of rest before potentially returning Friday against Boston. Dairon Blanco and Andy Ibáñez each had one hit on Wednesday. For Wednesday's game, Blanco was the starting center fielder and number 9 hitter. In a 9-4 loss to the Tigers, he went 1-for-4 with a RBI and three strikeouts. In the same game, for Detroit, Andy Ibáñez went 1-for-3 with a run scored. Astros' José Abreu: Got rest day. Abreu was out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets. Mauricio Dubón played at first base while Abreu took a seat for the first time since June 4, breaking a streak of 15 consecutive starts. The 2020 American League MVP remains in the midst of a career-worst season, but he's at least shown some signs of life in June, turning in a .734 OPS through 18 games this month. Athletics' Aledmys Díaz: On bench Wednesday. Díaz was out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians. Díaz had started at shortstop for three of the past four games, but Tyler Wade played the position on Wednesday. With Nick Allen having been optioned to the minors and with Kevin Smith (back) now on the injured list, Díaz looks like he could receive another look in a near-everyday role in the Oakland middle infield. Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel: Received breather Wednesday. Gurriel was out of the lineup Wednesday versus the Brewers. Gurriel got a breather after he started the first two games of the series, going 1-for-9 with two RBI and two strikeouts. J.P. Martínez went 4-for-4 with a homer, two doubles and two walks for Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday. Martínez is far removed from his days as a top prospect, but he's crushing it age 27 this year, hitting .350/.481/.553 with 21 steals in 22 attempts in 34 games for Triple-A Round Rock. It might take a Leody Taveras injury to get him an opportunity in Texas, but he's definitely put himself in position to make his major league debut. Padres recalled LHP Adrian Morejón from Triple-A El Paso. Morejón made 26 relief appearances last year for the Padres and has been out all season recovering from a a left elbow sprain that he suffered back in spring training. Jun 20 Pirates' Johan Oviedo: Logs quality start in loss. Oviedo (3-7) took the loss Tuesday, allowing two runs on five hits over six innings against the Cubs. He struck out three. Oviedo pitched well Tuesday, but the Pirates couldn't muster any run support in a 4-0 loss. Still, it was another strong effort from Oviedo, who's allowed two runs or fewer in six of his last eight starts. The 25-year-old right-hander has a 4.30 ERA with a 1.42 WHIP and 74:35 K:BB through 15 starts (81.2 innings) this season. Ovideo currently lines up for a road matchup with the Marlins in his next outing.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources Jun 19 Luis Robert adds homer #18. Robert went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, an RBI, and a strikeout against the Rangers in a 5-2 loss Monday. Andrew Vaughn and Robert got Chicago closer on the scoreboard (3-2) by hitting back-to-back homers in the sixth inning. For Robert is a new career-high mark - he broke his personal mark days ago - with 18 homers on the campaign. He is slashing 262/.317/.535 with 38 RBI in 71 games. Jorge Soler powered Miami to an 11-0 win. Soler went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and three RBI total in Monday's 11-0 win over the Blue Jays. The long ball Monday was his 21st of the campaign, reaching 20+ homers in three of his ten MLB seasons. The designated hitter is slashing .260/.363/.560 with 45 RBI, 40 runs scored, a stolen base and 12 doubles through 69 contests. Yasmani Grandal went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts versus the Rangers on Monday. Where are the walks? Grandal had an 11-game streak with zero walks last month, and now he has a 12-gamer going at the moment. Both rate as his longest such streaks since the first half of 2018, when he went 15 games in a row without a walk. Grandal's average is up, so he hasn't been dreadful offensively. Still, .253/.319/.394 with a total of 15 runs and 18 RBI in 59 games is pretty unimpressive. In the same game, for Texas Adolis García went 1-for-4 with his double #14 of the season, an RBI, a run scored, a walk and two strikeouts. As a result, he is batting .260/.333/.480 with 15 home runs and 57 RBI, which is second in the Majors. 42 RBIs for Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Gurriel went 1-for-5 with two RBIs in Monday's 9-1 win over Milwaukee. Gurriel's RBI-liner with bases loaded in the first inning ignited the Diamondbacks' offensive giving them a 3-0 lead. Arizona ended up scoring six times in the first frame. After going 0-for-4 with a strikeout the rest of the game, Gurriel's two RBIs in the first inning allowed him to bring his season total to 42, half of his career high of 84 in 2021. He is having solid numbers this year slashing .280/.329/.506 with 11 home runs and 32 runs scored. José Abreu continues to struggle at the plate. José Abreu's stability in the Majors is truly concerning. The Astros' Abreu continued his poor performance in the batter's box on Monday, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout in their 11-1 loss to the Mets.He was substituted at the end of the game. After his performance on Monday, Abreu has gone two consecutive games without a single. He has hit 2-for-19 with an RBI and seven strikeouts in his last five games. At this point, the veteran first baseman needs at least one day off. Dairon Blanco was absent from starting lineup. Andy Ibáñez with a single. Blanco was out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Tigers. Blanco was on the bench for the second time in the Royals' last three games. He entered the game as a pinch-runner in the 8th inning, replacing Salvador Pérez. While the 30-year-old is intriguing because of his speed, there's no guarantee he'll receive regular playing time, especially with Samad Taylor now in the majors to potentially take on an everyday role. In the same game for Detroit, Andy Ibáñez went 1-for-4. José Iglesias has elected free agency. The veteran infielder has once again opted out of his minor league deal and will explore the free agent market. He’ll assuredly land on his feet elsewhere before long — though again most likely on a minor league pact.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources Jun 18 Andy Ibáñez went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in the Tigers' 6-4 takedown of the Twins on Sunday. Ibáñez went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in Sunday's 6-4 win over the Twins. Ibáñez delivered his first hits of the weekend set against Minnesota, though he's been better throughout the month, as he's now batting .361 in June with a 1.119 OPS. Ibáñez is 11-for-23 with two homers and just two strikeouts in his last seven games, taking his average from .172 to .230 and his OPS from .497 to .689. The strong performance figures to earn the 30-year-old regular playing time moving forward, though he may continue to serve in more of a utility role rather than settling in at one position. That makes Ibáñez valuable for the Tigers and gives him some time playing this season. Randy Arozarena went 3-for-4 and scored a pair of runs on Sunday night as the Rays fell to the Padres. Arozarena went 3-for-4 with a hit-by-pitch and two runs scored in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Padres. Arozarena led off the second inning with a leadoff single off of Joe Musgrove, then came around to score the Rays' first run on an RBI single by Josh Lowe. He also singled to lead off the eighth inning and scored on a run-scoring knock by Harold Ramirez. This was just his third multi-hit effort in June, putting him at 14-for-55 (.255) for the month. He's also gone nine games and counting without a stolen base. The outfielder is at nine steals, 13 home runs, 48 RBI, 45 runs scored, eight doubles and a triple with a robust .288/.405/.484 slash line through 71 contests this season. Dairon Blanco went hitless Sunday. Blanco went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in a 5-2 loss to the Angels on Sunday afternoon. He was later removed from the game. Blanco, that was called up to the Majors on June 12, had his first steal Saturday. The outfielder has gone 4-for-16 (.250) with a double, a triple, one run scored, one RBI and a 2:6 BB:K through 18 plate appearances. With Samad Taylor also receiving a call-up, Blanco could have more competition for playing time in either left or right field, though Taylor can also draw in at second base. Marlins' Yuli Gurriel: Pilfers fourth bag. Gurriel went 2-for-5 with his fourth stolen base of the season in Sunday's win over the Nationals. The 39-year-old has alternated starts at first base with Garrett Cooper over the last week, although the latter also rotates in at DH when he isn't playing defense. Gurriel isn't exactly earning the extra opportunities, however, slashing just .222/.239/.333 through 12 games in June with zero homers and only two RBI. His value to the Marlins primarily comes from helping to keep Cooper rested and healthy. Raisel Iglesias pitched an scoreless inning. Iglesias allowed a hit in a scoreless inning in a no-save situation against Colorado on Sunday. He had three strikeouts. Iglesias dropped his ERA down to 4.08 through 17.2 frames, but holds a 5.14 ERA in his last seven games with only three saves. Jorge Soler collected an RBI on Sunday. Soler started in right field and batted second Sunday against the Nationals. He went 1-for-4 with a run scored, a walk, a strikeout and collecting his RBI #42 of the season. Soler has hits in six of his past seven games and has a 1.451 OPS with three home runs, six RBI, and only 4 strikeouts during that span. On Sunday, no hits were recorded for Miguel Vargas. In Sunday's series finale against the Giants, Vargas went hitless.His 0-for-3 performance was accompanied by a strikeout. The slash line for this year is .210/.315/.384, but Vargas has struggled recently, going 1-for-23 with five strikeouts in his last seven games. His bat needs to do more or he'll be relegated to the Minors in a Dodgers team that once again targets the World Series. José Abreu was hitless against Cincinnati. Abreu went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts Sunday against the Reds. The struggles continue for the veteran first baseman. Across his first 61 games of the season, he managed only nine-extra base hits. In nine games since, he's racked up three homers and three doubles while also scoring five runs and driving in 10 but hasn't been consistent. Since June 14, when he collected three hits against the Nationals, he has gone 2-for-16 with 6 strikeouts. Aledmys Díaz homers off bench. Díaz went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Phillies. Díaz has hit safely in four straight games and seven of his last nine, going 10-for-27 (.370) over the longer span. The homer was his first since April 14 and his second of the year. The versatile infielder is up to a .211/.269/.286 slash line with 11 RBI, 12 runs scored and a stolen base through 175 plate appearances while maintaining steady but not everyday playing time in the Athletics' middle infield. Néstor Cortés played catch on Sunday. Cortés landed on the injured list earlier this month with a left rotator cuff sprain and is facing an extended absence. It's a positive sign that he's resumed throwing, but he's going to require a lengthy buildup and is unlikely to return prior to the All-Star break.