Jean Segura Agrees to Two-Year, $17 Million Deal with Miami Marlins

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Jean Segura is heading to the Sunshine State.

The 32-year-old Dominican veteran professional baseball shortstop and second baseman and the Miami Marlins have agreed to a two-year, $17 million deal, according to multiple reports.

It’s the first free agent move of the offseason for the Marlins, who are coming off a 69-93 season — their 12th losing record in the past 13 years. And they’ve watched NL East rivals Atlanta, Philadelphia and the New York Mets make no shortage of moves to try and improve their loaded rosters; the Braves were World Series champions in 2021 and the Phillies won the NL pennant this year before falling to Houston in the World Series.

Segura spent the past four seasons with the Phillies, but they declined his $17 million option last month, and he instead received a $1 million buyout. In 98 games this season — he missed about two months with a fractured right index finger — Segura hit .277 with 10 home runs, 33 RBIs and 45 runs. He also appeared in the postseason for the first time in his 11-year career and delivered a key hit in Philly’s Game 3 NLCS win against the San Diego Padres.

A two-time MLB All-Star, Segura also has played full seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. He’s a career .285 hitter with 107 home runs, 712 runs scored and 492 RBIs.

He primarily played second base for Philadelphia but also saw time at shortstop and third. Marlins All-Star second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. was limited to just 60 games in 2022 due to injury.

Z101 Digital first reported news of the agreement between Segura and the Marlins.

Joe Jimenez Traded to Atlanta Braves

Posted on December 8, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a Braves new world for Joe Jimenez…

The Atlanta Braves have traded two minor leaguers with the Detroit Tigers in exchange for the 27-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball pitcher and former MLB All-Star reliever.

The Tigers acquired outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy and left-hander Jake Higginbotham.

The swap at the winter meetings came after Jansen, who led the NL with 41 saves last season, left the NL East champion Braves and got a $32 million, two-year deal with the Boston Red Sox.

Jimenez, who turns 28 next month, was 3-2 with two saves and a 3.49 ERA in 62 games with the Tigers last season, striking out 77 in 56 2/3 innings. The right-hander has spent all six of his seasons in the majors with Detroit and was an All-Star in 2018.

The 22-year-old Malloy hit a combined .289 with 17 home runs and 81 RBI at three minor league levels last season.

The 26-year-old Higginbotham was 2-5 with a 4.73 ERA in 48 relief appearances at Double-A Mississippi.

Sandy Alcantara Sweeps All First-Place Votes to Win National League Cy Young Award

Posted on November 16, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a clean sweep for Sandy Alcantara…

The 27-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Miami Marlins has become the first unanimous Cy Young Award winner in the National League since Clayton Kershaw in 2014.

Alcantara, a right-hander, swept all 30 first-place votes to beat out Atlanta Braves lefty Max Fried and Los Angeles Dodgers southpaw Julio Urias to become the first Cy Young winner in Marlins history.

With Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander also winning the AL Cy Young by unanimous vote, this marks just the second time that both Cy Young winners were unanimous. Bob Gibson and Denny McLain also won unanimously in 1968, one year after the award started to be given out to both leagues.

In this age of five-inning starters, Alcantara stood out like a unicorn: He pitched 228⅔ innings, 23⅔ more than other pitcher in the majors, and the most innings since David Price threw 230 in 2016. He threw six complete games — more than any other team. He pitched at least eight innings in 14 of his 32 starts, the most such games since 2014. His 8.0 WAR easily topped Aaron Nola’s 6.0 as the best in the NL and ranked as the best in Marlins history, ahead of Kevin Brown‘s 7.9 in 1996.

“I’m very happy with the type of season I was able to have this season,” Alcantara said in a video released when he won the Players Choice Award as the outstanding NL pitcher. “It’s like I’ve always told the media: My mentality is to be a lion on the mound, finish all my starts.”

Here’s another way to view Alcantara’s award: He had 16 starts of more than seven innings when you add in his two 7⅔-inning outings. Fried and Urias combined for just two outings of more than seven innings. It wasn’t just his ability to pitch deep into games that made Alcantara the Cy Young winner, however. His 2.28 ERA ranked second in the NL behind Urias’ 2.16, and he held batters to a .212 average with some of the most electric stuff in the majors.

“He’s throwing 100-plus mph and he’s got movement on that fastball,” St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt said.

Indeed, Alcantara averaged just under 98 mph with his fastball (he throws both a four-seamer and sinker), but his game plan is a little different from a lot of modern pitchers. He induces a lot of soft contact rather than just racking up strikeouts — and thus avoids the high pitch counts that result from a lot of deep counts. As a result, he led all starters in averaging just 14.2 pitches per inning, allowing him to go deep into games. He still managed 207 strikeouts, including a season-high 14 in an eight-inning win over the Braves on May 28. “Sometimes with Sandy it looks like pitch and catch,” then-Marlins manager Don Mattingly said after that dominating victory.

Originally signed by the Cardinals out of the Dominican Republic, the Marlins acquired Alcantara after the 2017 season in a trade that sent Marcell Ozuna to St. Louis. Alcantara made the MLB All-Star team in 2019, his first full season in the majors, when he finished with a 3.88 ERA, and then had a big breakout in 2021, when he went 9-15 with a 3.19 ERA in 205 innings.

An improved changeup took him to another level this season, as batters hit just .145 against it with no home runs in 248 at-bats. It’s a power change that averaged 91.8 mph — yes, a 92 mph changeup. According to Statcast metrics, his changeup saved 25 runs, the most valuable changeup in the game in 2022.

Maybe the highlight of Alcantara’s season wasn’t one of his seven scoreless outings, but a 4-3 victory over the Cardinals on June 29. Leading 4-3 with runners at first and second and one out in the ninth and Alcantara at 115 pitches, Mattingly came out to apparently remove him from the game. Alcantara talked himself into staying in and two pitches later induced to a double play to end it.

“When he came to me, I said, ‘I got it. I got it.’ I think he has too much confidence in me to finish the game,” Alcantara said after that win. “I don’t have to worry when I have men on base. I know I can throw a strike and get a double play.”

“He said he had it, and he did,” Mattingly said. “I wasn’t going to promise him two hitters, but I gave him that one. He’s pretty special.”

Special enough that the extension the Marlins signed him to last November that runs through 2027 now looks like a bargain. With the Marlins now having a Cy Young winner, the only franchises without one are the Texas Rangers and Colorado Rockies.

St. Louis Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado Earns 10th Consecutive Gold Glove Award

Posted on November 1, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Make that a perfect 10 for Nolan Arenado…

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American baseball player, a third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, has become the fourth infielder to win 10 consecutive Rawlings Gold Gloves, when baseball’s winners for the sport’s most prestigious fielding awards were announced on ESPN2 before Game 3 of the World Series.

Arenado has won the National League‘s Gold Glove at third base in each of his 10 seasons in the major leagues. That streak ties former Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki for the longest by a player at any position to start a career.

The only infielders who put together longer streaks were Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson (third base, 16 straight Gold Gloves) and Ozzie Smith (shortstop, 13 straight) and former Cardinals and New York Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez (11 straight).

The Gold Gloves once tended to favor repeat winners, but this year’s list of honorees marked a season of unprecedented change. A record 14 players won their first Gold Gloves, including all but one of the winners in the American League.

The AL‘s first timers were Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber, New York Yankees catcher Jose Trevino, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez, Baltimore Orioles third baseman Ramon Urias, Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena, Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan, Guardians center fielder Myles Straw and Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker.

The AL’s only repeat winner was the Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu, who was recognized as a utility player.

There was a little more familiarity among those who joined Arenado as Gold Glovers on the National League side. The first-time winners included Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker, Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers, Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ and Cardinals utility player Brendan Donovan.

Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto won his second Glove Glove, joining Houston’s Pena and Tucker in learning of their honor during the lead-up to their World Series contest.

“It’s a pretty cool moment, for sure,” Pena said. “[Getting] congratulated by our teammates. We know the focus is the game, so we’re going to enjoy this for a little bit and then get ready for the game.”

Pena joined Kwan and Donovan as winners during their rookie seasons, another record. The only other time in which there has been even two rookie Gold Glovers was 2020 (Luis Robert and Evan White).

In taking the honor, Pena continued to prove a worthy successor at the position in Houston to Carlos Correa, who won the award last season. Pena became the first rookie shortstop to win a Gold Glove.

“I heard that today and I was in shock because I didn’t know that was a thing,” Pena said. “But it’s pretty cool.”

San Diego Padres center fielder Trent Grisham won for the second time, while Los Angeles Dodgers star right fielder Mookie Betts won his sixth Gold Glove. Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried was honored for the third time.

Here’s a look at the 2022 Gold Glove winners:

American League
P: Shane Bieber, Cleveland
C: Jose Trevino, New York
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto
2B: Andres Gimenez, Cleveland
3B: Ramon Urias, Baltimore
SS: Jeremy Pena, Houston
LF: Steven Kwan, Cleveland
CF: Myles Straw, Cleveland
RF: Kyle Tucker, Houston

National League
P: Max Fried, Atlanta
C: J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia
1B: Christian Walker, Arizona
2B: Brendan Rodgers, Colorado
3B: Nolan Arenado, St. Louis
SS: Dansby Swanson, Atlanta
LF: Ian Happ, Chicago
CF: Trent Grisham, San Diego
RF: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles

New York Mets Reportedly Calling Up Top Prospect Francisco Alvarez This Weekend

Posted on September 29, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Francisco Alvarez is thisclose to Met-ing his moment…

The New York Mets are calling up the 20-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball catcher and MLB top prospect for this weekend’s pivotal three-game series against the Atlanta Braves, according to multiple reports.

Alvarez was ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect in ESPN‘s midseason list published in August.

Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2018, Alvarez has had a meteoric rise through the Mets’ minor league system over the past two years. He slashed .260/.374/.511 with 27 home runs this season while splitting time between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Syracuse.

The Mets enter Friday’s game against the Braves clinging to a one-game lead over Atlanta in the National League East.

El Extrabase was first to report that Alvarez is getting called up.

Atlanta Braves Acquire Robinson Cano from San Diego Padres

Posted on July 11, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Robinson Cano believes he’s still got game…

The 39-year-old Dominican-American professional baseball remains confident in his skills as he has been given an opportunity to revive his career while starting — at least on a fill-in basis — for the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves.

Cano carries a .301 career batting average with more than 2,600 hits, but he struggled in short stints with the New York Mets and San Diego Padres this season.

The Braves, in need of a left-handed hitter who can help at second base, obtained Cano for $1 in a minor league deal with the Padres on Sunday.

Cano instantly joined Atlanta’s starting lineup, playing second base and batting ninth as the Braves opened a series on Monday night against his former team, the NL East-leading New York Mets.

“I know what work I’ve put in the offseason and I’ve always believed in myself and the stuff that I do to prepare myself,” Cano said following batting practice on Monday. “I feel that I can still play this game.”

The Braves trailed the Mets by 1½ games going into the three-game set at Truist Park.

Cano gives the Braves another option at second base after Ozzie Albies went down with a broken foot.

With the Mets in town, Cano attracted a large crowd of reporters with no shortage of questions about his past and future.

Asked if he felt he received a fair shot with the Mets, Cano said “I don’t want to go back to the past. … There’s no hard feelings. I’ve got friends on the other side and I always wish them the best.”

Cano hit .256 with New York in 2019 and .316 in only 49 games in 2020.

Cano hit a combined .149 with one homer and four RBI in 74 at-bats for the Padres and Mets this season. He batted .333 with three homers and 20 RBI in 96 at-bats for Triple-A El Paso after the Padres released him and re-signed him to a minor league deal last month.

“I think he was rusty when he was here for the first two times,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Cano’s early season struggles. “You’re just hoping you get what Robinson Cano is capable of. It’s worth a try. He’s been playing a month in Triple-A and doing well, so we’ll see. He’s in a great shape.”

Snitker managed Cano’s father, Jose Cano, who was a minor league pitcher for the Class A Durham Braves in 1984.

“He was one of my starters in Durham,” Snitker said.

The younger Cano arrived in Atlanta equipped with stories about Snitker from his dad. He said he’s also heard about the Braves from friends on the team, including his offseason workout partner Marcell Ozuna.

“Everything they’ve said about this team is good,” Cano said.

“I’m excited for the opportunity and also happy to be here. I’ve seen from the other side, the energy and the chemistry and the fans show up every day to support this team.”

Albies fractured his foot last month in an at-bat, and Atlanta has been relying on Orlando Arcia as his replacement.

Arcia was hitting .252 with three homers and 17 RBI in 123 at-bats this year. Snitker said he’s been pleased with Albies’ replacement, especially his defense.

The Mets owe Cano nearly $45 million remaining on his original contract signed with Seattle. He was earning a prorated share of the $700,000 minimum in his major league deal with San Diego. He sat out last season in serving a second suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.

Cano was an eight-time MLB All-Star while with the New York Yankees and Seattle. He is a two-time Gold Glover with 335 home runs and 1,306 RBI in 17 seasons.

The San Diego Padres signed him to a minor league deal on June 10, eight days after releasing him.

In addition to adding Cano to the 26-man roster, the Braves reinstated outfielder Adam Duvall from the paternity list.

First baseman Mike Ford was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett and infielder Phil Gosselin was designated for assignment.

Robinson Cano Signs Deal with San Diego Padres

Posted on May 14, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Robinson Cano has landed a padre deal…

The 39-year-old Dominican-American professional baseball second baseman and veteran infielder has signed with the San Diego Padres.

The New York Mets released the 39-year-old Cano on Sunday after designating him for assignment a week earlier. He was not in the Padres’ lineup for Friday’s 11-6 win over the Atlanta Braves.

The Padres plan to use Cano as a left-handed bat off the bench. Acting manager Ryan Christenson said he could get some occasional starts at second base and designated hitter.

“I’ve got a lot left in the tank,” Cano said. “I know I can still play this game and just go out on top.”

Entering Thursday’s games, Padres designated hitters were batting .206 with two home runs and 12 RBIs this season. Both home runs came via Luke Voit, who bats right-handed, in Wednesday’s 7-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

When Cano plays second base, it would move Jake Cronenworth to shortstop and Ha-Seong Kim to the bench.

Cano sat out last season while serving his second suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. He batted .195 (8-for-41) this season with one home run, three RBIs and a .501 OPS in 43 plate appearances for the National League East-leading Mets.

He is owed $44,703,297 by the Mets from the remainder of the 10-year, $240 million contract he signed with the Seattle Mariners. He has lost $35,741,935 because of the two drug suspensions.

He will earn a prorated share of the $700,000 minimum with the Padres.

Cano, who was acquired in a multiplayer trade with the Mariners that also sent closer Edwin Diaz to New York, ended up playing 168 games for the Mets, batting .269 with 24 homers, 72 RBIs and a .765 OPS.

An eight-time MLB All-Star, Cano has a .302 career batting average with 335 home runs, 1,305 RBIs and an .842 OPS in 17 seasons. He has 2,632 hits, including 571 doubles.

Washington Nationals Star Juan Soto Hits 100th Career Home Run

Posted on April 13, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

He’s only 23, but Juan Soto has already joined elite Major League Baseball company…

On Tuesday night, the Dominican professional baseball outfielder for the Washington Nationals hit home run No. 100 at just 23 years old.

“It means a lot,” Soto said following the Nationals’ 16-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. “It’s just a number that not many players get to, and it feels an honor to be there.”

Soto rocked an 89.5 mph cutter from Braves right-hander Bryce Elder a Statcast-projected 451 feet to right-center field at 112.5 mph.

The milestone dinger was the fourth-longest of his career.

“For me, it’s just a blessing,” Soto said. “It just comes to me. I never tried to hit a homer, or anything like that. I’m one of the guys who just tries to hit singles every day. So for me to become consistent hitting homers, it’s just impressive and it tells how good I’ve been working on my body and everything.”

At 23 years and 169 days, Soto is just the seventh active player to belt 100 homers at age 23 and younger, per Elias Sports Bureau.

He joined Miguel Cabrera (23 years, 127 days), Bryce Harper (23 years, 181 days), Ronald Acuña Jr. (23 years, 184 days), Albert Pujols (23 years, 185 days), Giancarlo Stanton (23 years, 221 days) and Mike Trout (23 years, 253 days).

Soto first homered in 2018, his age-19 season.

“It’s awesome,” manager Dave Martinez said. “He’s so young, and for him to get his 100th home run at this early stage in his career, he’s going to hit a lot more. I’m happy for him. He swung the bat well today, he really did.”

The milestone home run adds to Soto’s success against the team’s National League East rival. He has hit 14 dingers against the Braves in 58 games, second to only his offensive production vs. the Philadelphia Phillies (17 home runs in 60 games). He also increased his Truist Park homer total to nine, third most at any opposing stadium behind Citizens Bank Park (12) and Citi Field (10).

Jorge Soler Agrees to Thee-Year, $36 Million Contract with Miami Marlins

Posted on March 20, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Jorge Soler is headed to the Sunshine State…

The 30-year-old Cuban professional baseball outfielder and the Miami Marlins have agreed on a three-year, $36 million contract, according to ESPN.

Soler’s deal includes opt-outs after the first two seasons, sources said. If he opts out, Soler would hit free agency again at age 31 next winter.

A bit player during the Chicago Cubs‘ drought-smashing victory over Cleveland five years ago, Soler was voted MVP of the Atlanta Braves‘ six-game World Series win over the Houston Astros. Soler hit .300 with three home runs and six RBIs.

Soler’s three World Series home runs matched the most for the Braves, equaling Hank Aaron in 1957, Lonnie Smith in 1991 and Ryan Klesko in 1995.

Marlins general manager Kim Ng said as Miami opened camp that the team had two needs: an outfielder — particularly a center fielder, which Soler hasn’t been, as he has primarily played right — and offense.

Soler does fit that bill. He has 121 home runs and 343 RBIs in 661 career games with the Kansas City Royals, the Chicago Cubs and the Braves. He led the American League with 48 homers in 2019, and hit 27 home runs in 149 games with the Royals and Braves last season.

Soler defected from Cuba in 2011, established residency in Haiti and made his big league debut in 2014.

MLB Network was first to report news of Soler’s agreement with Miami.

Yasiel Puig Signs One-Year, $1 Million Contract with South Korea’s Kiwoom Heroes

Posted on December 10, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Yasiel Puig is a new Hero…

The 31-year-old Cuban former Major League Baseball outfielder has signed a one-year, $1 million contract with South Korean club Kiwoom Heroes.

Puig hasn’t played in the MLB since 2019, when he played 100 games for the Cincinnati Reds and 49 for the Cleveland Indians before becoming a free agent.

Ko Hyung-wook, the general manager of the Seoul-based Heroes, said Puig’s past season in the Mexican League, where he batted .312 and hit 10 home runs for El Aguila de Veracruz, showed that his skills remained “excellent.”

Ko said Puig still has an interest in making a return to the big leagues and hoped that his drive to prove himself will have a positive impact on his Korean teammates. Ko downplayed concerns about Puig’s maturity, saying he came away with the impression that the former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder was “devoted to family, and mature” after their personal talks.

Puig batted .277 with 132 home runs and 415 RBI while appearing in seven major league seasons, the first six with the Dodgers where he earned an MLB All-Star selection in 2014.

Puig’s offensive production regressed in the following years and he also developed a reputation for erratic on-field behavior, finding himself in the middle of several bench-clearing incidents. He was suspended three games in 2019 for his involvement in a brawl against the Pittsburgh Pirates in his last game as a Red, an altercation that happened just moments after the team traded him to the Cleveland Indians.

Puig was reportedly in talks for a deal with the Atlanta Braves last year before he announced via Twitter in July 2020 that he tested positive for COVID-19.

The Heroes finished fifth among 10 clubs in the Korea Baseball Organization in this year’s regular season and were eliminated by crosstown rivals Doosan Bears in the first round of the postseason.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Atlanta Braves