Oakland Athletics Designate Jesus Aguilar for Assignment

Posted on May 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jesus Aguilar is on assignment…

The Oakland Athletics have designated the 32-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman for assignment on Monday.

Aguilar is batting .221 with five home runs and nine RBIs in 36 games this season, his first in Oakland. He was 1-for-20 in his past seven games.

Aguilar is a career .253 hitter with 114 home runs and 402 RBIs in 10 seasons with six teams. He was an MLB All-Star in 2018 with the Milwaukee Brewers, slugging a career-high 35 home runs and driving in a career-best 108 runs.

Gary Sanchez Signs Minor League Deal with San Francisco Giants

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Gary Sanchez is heading to the Giants…

The San Francisco Giants have agreed to a minor league deal with the 30-year-old Dominican professional baseball catcher, The Athletic reported Friday.

Sanchez can opt out of the deal if he isn’t promoted to the majors by May 1.

The two-time MLB All-Star with the New York Yankees struggled last year in his one season with the Minnesota Twins. He batted .205 while hitting 16 homers and driving in 61 runs in 128 games. Sanchez spent his first seven seasons with the Yankees and started his tenure by hitting 20 homers in 53 games in 2016. He finished second for American League Rookie of the Year honors despite a late recall from the minors.

The following season, Sanchez launched 33 homers and had a career-high 90 RBIs while batting .278 in 122 games. He was an All-Star that season as well as in 2019 when he hit a career-high 34 homers.

But over the past three seasons, Sanchez has batted .147, .204 and .205. Overall, Sanchez has a .225 career average with 154 homers and 401 RBIs in 666 games.

Sergio Romo to Retire as Member of San Francisco Giants Organization

Posted on March 17, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Sergio Romo will end his career in Giant(s) fashion…

The San Francisco Giants have signed the 40-year-old Mexican American professional baseball pitcher, a longtime reliever, who will retire as a member of the team at the end of spring training.

Romo signed a minor league contract with an invite to major league spring training. He’ll retire March 27 during the Giants’ final spring training game against the Oakland Athletics.

“The relationship that Giants fans have with their players is unique — few exemplify that bond more than Sergio,” Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said in a statement Saturday. “After all that he accomplished as a Giant from 2008 to 2016, including his huge contributions to the championship teams, it’s a thrill to have him back in a San Francisco uniform.”

Romo won three World Series titles with San Francisco while spending the first nine years of his major league career with the team. He earned his only MLB All-Star appearance in 2013, when he set a career high with 38 saves.

He holds the Giants’ franchise record for postseason appearances by a pitcher with 27. His 515 games pitched with the team rank fifth all-time, while his 84 saves rank seventh.

After leaving the Giants as a free agent, Romo also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2017), Tampa Bay Rays (2017-18), Miami Marlins (2019), Minnesota Twins (2019-20), Oakland Athletics (2021), Seattle Mariners (2022) and Toronto Blue Jays (2022).

Romo has 137 career saves in 15 major league seasons, going 42-36 with a 3.21 ERA in 821 relief appearances and five starts.

Late Baseball Great Roberto Clemente to be Subject of Biopic

Posted on March 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Roberto Clemente’s life story is headed to the silver screen…

The late baseball icon is getting the biopic treatment from producer Jonah Hirsch and actor/producer AJ Muñoz in collaboration with the Clemente family.The as-yet-untitled film will be based on the family’s best-selling book Clemente: The True Legacy of an Undying Hero.

The announcement comes on the heels of the 50th anniversary of the Pittsburgh Pirates MLB All-Star’s passing, and the recent news of select Florida schools removing books on Clemente’s life.

The film will showcase Clemente’s rise to greatness against all odds and tell his inspirational life story inclusive of both his baseball career as well as his fight for Latin American equality and social justice.

By acquiring the life rights to Clemente as well as the family-authored book, Hirsch and Muñoz alongside the legend’s sons Roberto Clemente Jr. and Luis Roberto Clemente will serve as executive producers on the project.

“I recall sitting in a meeting with our mother in the summer of 1974 about making this film, and there have been plenty of announcements over the past 50 years including major players in the industry, but nothing ever got done. Now, for the first time, we feel we found the right partners. Clemente fans have been waiting a long time for this film and we will make sure that it was worth the wait.” Roberto Clemente, Jr. said in a statement.

Luis Clemente adds, “My brother and I are very excited about this partnership since our family book will be used to tell dad’s story through our personal experiences and immediate family memories. I’m truly looking forward to working with Jonah and AJ to present this story to new generations to be inspired and to share unknown stories with the fans who will learn even more about the ‘Great One.’”

Clemente is a legendary figure in Latin American culture, having been a 15-time All-Star Major League Baseball player, as well as an advocate and a humanitarian.

Across his 18-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he was awarded the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1966 and won four National League batting titles. He was also the first non-white recipient of the National League Gold Glove Award and finished his playing career with exactly 3,000 hits.

As well as being known for his contributions to baseball history, Clemente was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his humanitarian work.

“At a time when most heroes are fictional characters, we couldn’t think of a better time to elevate and reintroduce Clemente’s heroic story to a new generation,” Hirsch and Muñoz said in a joint statement.

Muñoz and his childhood friend Abe Mata, in partnership with Hirsch, established the production company Dreams Are Free around the Clemente story, which will serve as their first signature film with other Latino-driven projects in active development.

Los Angeles Dodgers to Retire Fernando Valenzuela’s Jersey Number

Posted on February 5, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special retirement for Fernando Valenzuela.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will retire the No. 34 jersey of the 62-year-old Mexican former professional baseball pitcher during a three-day celebration this summer.

He’ll become the first Latino player to have his number retired by the Dodgers.

Valenzuela was part of two World Series champion teams, winning the 1981 Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards. He was a six-time MLB All-Star during his 11 seasons in Los Angeles from 1980-90.

He’ll be honored from August 11-13 when the Dodgers host Colorado.

Valenzuela will join Pee Wee Reese, Tommy Lasorda, Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Jim Gilliam, Don Sutton, Walter Alston, Sandy Koufax, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson and Don Drysdale with retired numbers.

“To be a part of the group that includes so many legends is a great honor,” Valenzuela said. “But also for the fans, the support they’ve given me as a player and working for the Dodgers, this is also for them.”

Gleyber Torres Agrees to One-Year, $9.95 Million Contract with New York Yankees

Posted on January 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Gleyber Torres is staying put…

The New York Yankees have agreed to a $9.95 million, one-year contract with the 26-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball shortstop and second baseman, avoiding an arbitration hearing with the infielder by reaching a deal at the midpoint of proposed salaries.

The Yankees announced the deal on Sunday.

Torres hit .257 with 24 homers and 76 RBIs in 140 games for the AL East champions last year.

Torres had asked for a raise from $6.25 million to $10.2 million in arbitration, and the Yankees had offered the second baseman $9.7 million.

A two-time MLB All-Star, Torres made his big league debut with New York. He is a .265 hitter with 98 homers and 310 RBIs in 576 career games.

He was New York’s last remaining player in arbitration. Nine Yankees agreed just before the exchange of proposed salaries on January 13: right-handers Frankie Montas ($7.5 million), Clay Holmes ($3.3 million), Domingo German ($2.6 million), Jonathan Loaisiga ($2,262,500) and Michael King ($1.3 million); left-handers Wandy Peralta ($3.35 million) and Nestor Cortes ($3.2 million); and catchers Jose Trevino ($2.36 million) and Kyle Higashioka ($1,462,500).

Twenty-nine major leaguers remain scheduled for hearings from Monday through February 17.

Jesus Aguilar Agrees to One-Year, $3 Million Contract with Oakland Athletics

Posted on January 24, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jesus Aguilar is headed to Oakland…

The 32-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman has agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with the Oakland Athletics, according to ESPN.

The deal is pending a physical.

Aguilar will join his sixth Major League Baseball team if the deal is finalized. The one-time MLB All-Star spent most of last season with the Miami Marlins.

The Marlins designated Aguilar for assignment in late August while he was leading the team in hits, home runs and RBIs. Miami general manager Kim Ng said the club wanted to allow him the opportunity to catch on with a playoff contender while it gave younger players more at-bats.

Aguilar signed with the Baltimore Orioles and played in 16 games for them down the stretch, but Baltimore narrowly missed the playoffs.

In 129 games between Miami and Baltimore last season, Aguilar batted .235 with 16 homers, 19 doubles and 51 RBIs. His best season came with the Milwaukee Brewers during his All-Star year in 2018, when he received National League MVP votes after hitting 35 homers with 25 doubles and 108 RBIs — all of which remain career highs.

In 759 career games for Cleveland (2014-16), Milwaukee (2017-19), Tampa Bay (2019), Miami (2020-22) and Baltimore, Aguilar is a career .254 batter with 109 homers, 105 doubles and 393 RBIs.

He’s made most of his appearances at first base or as a designated hitter, along with 16 games at third base.

Minnesota Twins Trade Luis Arraez to Miami Marlins

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Arraez is heading south for the winter…

The 25-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball second baseman, the American League batting champion, is heading to the Miami Marlins for right-hander Pablo Lopez and a pair of prospects headed to the Minnesota Twins.

The deal, variations of which the teams have discussed for months, brings a much needed bat to the Marlins, adding to their winter signing of Jean Segura, who’s expected to play third base.

The cost was significant, though. In addition to Lopez, a talented starter who slots in toward the top of Minnesota’s rotation, the Marlins will send shortstop Jose Salas and outfielder Byron Chourio, two well-regarded teenagers, to the Twins.

“We’ve talked about it quite often, wanting to add offense this offseason,” Marlins general manager Kim Ng said. “We’re willing to trade some of our pitching to do it. What we get in Luis Arraez is a left-handed, very good hitter.”

Arraez is a career .314 hitter with unparalleled bat-to-ball skills in the modern game. Last season, he made the MLB All-Star team and finished 13th in AL MVP balloting after hitting .316/.375/.420, scoring 88 runs and registering more walks (50) than strikeouts (43). He is not a free agent until after the 2025 season.

According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Arraez is the first player to win a batting championship and then be traded in the offseason since Rod Carew won the AL batting title in 1978 with the Twins and then was traded to the Los Angeles Angels ahead of the 1979 season.

“Anytime you have a player that’s well liked in the environment, who you know is going to go work and do it every day, which we got to see with Luis, it makes it harder,” Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said. “We’d love to have Luis and Pablo on our team, but to get something as impactful as what Pablo brings to our team, you have to give something impactful.”

Arraez joins a Marlins team with a strong rotation headlined by National League Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara. Miami’s lineup, however, struggled mightily last year, with injuries sidelining second baseman Jazz Chisholm while free agent signees Avisail Garcia and Jorge Soler disappointed.

Ng said Chisholm, who has played middle infield exclusively during his big league career, will move to center field to make room for Arraez as the full-time second baseman.

Arraez also has experience at first base — where he played more than any position last year — or a corner-outfield slot.

Arraez said he was taking a nap after a workout when the trade occurred.

“I was surprised, but this is baseball,” Arraez said. “This is a business. I’m ready to go now. I’m a Marlin and I’m excited to be here.”

Minnesota, meanwhile, can slot young slugger Jose Miranda at first base or play him at third and use Alex Kirilloff at first. Lopez joins a rotation with Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan and a grab bag of other possibilities, from Chris Paddack — who just signed a three-year extension — to Tyler Mahle, Bailey Ober, Josh Winder, Kenta Maeda and Randy Dobnak.

Falvey told reporters that the Twins have discussed a six-man rotation but weren’t “ready to stamp that yet.”

“I’m really excited about coming to this team, the leaders they have in the clubhouse and the players they have to support each other,” Lopez said on a video interview with reporters. “It’s a mentality that really motivates me too. I ask and expect more of myself when it comes to my performance and the ways I can help out the team.”

Lopez threw a career-high 180 innings last season over 32 starts and registered a 3.75 ERA. He has long been a favorite of statistically inclined teams such as Minnesota for his ability to strike out batters (9.2 per nine innings over the past three seasons), limit walks (2.6 per nine over the same period) and keep the ball in the park.

“When you trade anyone it’s always difficult, particularly when you’re talking about someone like Pablo,” Ng said. “Just a first-class guy, tremendous human being. He’s done a lot for the Marlins organization.”

Salas, 19, is a borderline top-100 prospect, signed out of Venezuela for $2.8 million in 2019 after growing up in the Orlando area. He finished last season in High-A and is likely to start there again this year.

Chourio, 17, is a center fielder who hit .344/.429/.410 for the Marlins’ Dominican Summer League team last season.

Pablo Guerrero Signs International Deal with Texas Rangers

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Pablo Guerrero has a Lone Star future…

The Texas Rangers have signed the Dominican baseball outfielder, the son of MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and younger brother of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays, to an international deal.

The Guerrero family posted a photo of the signing ceremony in the Dominican Republic on social media.

The Rangers later announced all of their agreements through their Player Development Twitter account.

Guerrero’s father, Vlad Sr., played 16 years in Major League Baseball, including a one-year stint with the Texas Rangers in 2010 when the club made its first World Series appearance. Guerrero hit .300 with 29 home runs and 115 RBI.

Guerrero’s Hall-of-Fame career included nine All-Star Game appearances, eight Silver Slugger awards and the 2004 American League MVP award.

Guerrero Jr. plays for Toronto and is entering his fifth season as a first and third baseman. He is already a two-time All-Star and finished second in AL MVP voting in 2021.

Baseball America also reported several other Rangers international agreements, including Cuban outfielder Geisel Cepeda, Venezuelan catcher Juan Sulbaran, along with outfielder Brailyn More, shortstop Lisandro Mejia, and pitchers Snarlyn Encarnacion, Walkin Ortiz, Yormi Nivar, Felix Martinez and Frank Martinez, all from the Dominican Republic.

Pitchers and catchers report to the team’s facility in Surprise, Arizona, on February 15, with position players to follow on February 20.

The Spring Training game schedule starts on February 24 with a game against Kansas City at the Surprise complex shared with the Royals.

The Rangers will wrap up their exhibition season with a pair of games at Globe Life Field against the Royals on March 27 and 28. The Rangers open up the regular season at home against Philadelphia on March 30.

Carlos Correa Finalizing Six-Year, $200 Million Deal with Minnesota Twins

Posted on January 10, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Correa will be twinning again.

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball shortstop is finalizing a six-year, $200 million contract with the Minnesota Twins, pending a physical, according to ESPN.

The announcement comes after weeks of discussion to salvage a deal with the New York Mets broke down, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN.

The stunning turn caps a whirlwind month for Correa, who agreed to a 13-year, $350 million contract with the San Francisco Giants on December 13.

After the Giants raised concerns about Correa’s surgically repaired right leg, he pivoted quickly to the Mets, who offered him a 12-year, $315 million contract.

The Mets flagged his physical as well, and efforts to amend the deal fell apart, leading Correa back to Minnesota, where he signed after a topsy-turvy offseason last year, too.

The agreement includes a vesting option for four years and $70 million and will become official if Correa passes a medical review, which is currently taking place.

The focus will be on his lower right leg, which he broke in 2014 during a minor league game, and a source said the Twins expect to be comfortable with it. Correa has not spent time on the injured list for a right leg ailment in his eight-year Major League Baseball career, but Giants and Mets medical personnel were concerned about how the leg would age.

Correa is among the game’s best shortstops and entered the winter in hopes of securing the mega-contract that eluded him last offseason, when he settled for a three-year, $105.3 million deal with the Twins that included an opt-out after the first season.

Correa hit .291/.366/.467 with 22 home runs and high-level defense, leaving the Twins hopeful he would consider returning after he filed for free agency.

Minnesota never intended to play in the $300 million-plus neighborhood, and after Aaron Judge returned to the New York Yankees, the Giants, in search of a franchise player, blew past that number for Correa, leaving the Twins to try to salvage their winter by signing outfielder Joey Gallo and catcher Christian Vazquez.

All the while, they lurked as the fallback plan for Correa, thrilled to potentially add him to a lineup that also includes MLB All-Stars Byron Buxton and Luis Arraez in addition to top prospect Royce Lewis, Jose Miranda, Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler, Nick Gordon, Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach.

Should Correa pass his physical — the Twins are more familiar with his medical situation than any other team and earlier in the winter considered a 10-year, $285 million deal, which is around what the current deal would wind up at if the option vests — Minnesota will enter 2023 with strong hopes of winning the AL Central.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: MLB All-Star