Cristian Mena Traded by Chicago White Sox to Arizona Diamondbacks

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Cristian Mena is headed to The Grand Canyon State.

The Chicago White Sox have traded the 21-year-old Dominican pitcher and right-handed prospect to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In the deal, which was announced on social media by the White Sox, outfielder Dominic Fletcher goes to Chicago from Arizona and should be in the mix for playing time this year.

Mena throws a hard curveball, a low-to-mid-90s fastball and will provide upper-level rotation depth after striking out 156 in 133.2 innings between Double A and Triple A last season.

At 5-foot-6, 185 pounds, Fletcher has nevertheless managed to cut an imposing figure at the plate since Arizona drafted him in 2019. In more than 1,600 minor league appearances, he has hit .295/.366/.474 with 42 home runs and 201 RBIs, and in 28 games with the Diamondbacks last season, Fletcher hit .301/.350/.441 with a pair of home runs and 14 RBIs. The younger brother of Atlanta utilityman David Fletcher, the left-handed hitter will compete for right-field at-bats, with MLB All-Star Luis Robert Jr. in center and Andrew Benintendi in left.

Arizona traded from a position of strength, with MLB All-Star Corbin Carroll, Yuli Gurriel, Alek Thomas, Jake McCarthy and the recently signed Joc Pederson all outfielders.

Mena throws a hard curveball, a low-to-mid-90s fastball and will provide upper-level rotation depth after striking out 156 in 133.2 innings between Double A and Triple A last season.

Under new general manager Chris Getz, the White Sox have been aggressive in turning over their roster after dealing a handful of veterans at the trade deadline last year.

Carlos Carrasco Agrees to Minor League Contract with Cleveland Guardians

Posted on January 27, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Carrasco is returning to Cleveland…

The 36-year-old Venezuelan-American professional baseball pitcher, who spent 11 seasons pitching for the Cleveland Guardians, has agreed to a minor league contract with the team featuring an invitation to spring training, per ESPN.

Carrasco’s base salary will be $2 million if he is on the big league team, according to ESPN sources.

The Athletic was first to report Carrasco’s return to the Guardians.

Carrasco, nicknamed Cookie, was a dependable part of Cleveland’s rotation for several seasons. He led the American League with 18 wins in 2017, and he became one of the team’s most popular players because of his warm personality and later for his courage in battling cancer.

In 2019, Carrasco was diagnosed with leukemia and was sidelined for three months. He was recognized during an emotional appearance on the field during the All-Star Game in Cleveland that season.

Carrasco went 88-73 with a 3.77 ERA in 242 games (195 starts) with Cleveland from 2009 to 2020.

He was traded as part of the deal that sent MLB All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor to the New York Mets in 2021. Carrasco went 19-20 in three seasons with the Mets, going 15-7 in 2022. Carrasco went 3-8 in 20 starts last season.

Carrasco was sidelined during Cleveland’s run to the World Series in 2016 after he was struck by a line drive on his pitching hand in the final month of the season.

Raul Ibanez Named Vice President of Baseball Development & Special Projects for Los Angeles Dodgers

Posted on January 14, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Raul Ibanez is getting a special promotion…

The Los Angeles Dodgers have rehired the 51-year-old Cuban American former professional baseball player, an MLB All-Star in 2009, as their new vice president of baseball development and special projects.

Ibanez spent the past two years working with Major League Baseball as a senior vice president of on-field operations, reporting directly to executive vice president Morgan Sword — who helped spearhead last year’s rule changes — while working on issues related to rules, equipment and on-field technology.

Prior to that, Ibanez spent six years as a special assistant within the Dodgers’ baseball operations department.

Ibanez’s current Dodgers role is full-time, which means he will relinquish his duties with MLB.

Ibanez spent 19 years in the big leagues, accumulating 2,034 hits and 305 home runs while playing for the Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees from 1996 to 2014.

Ibanez’s most productive years were spent in Seattle, but he made his only All-Star team as a member of the Phillies in 2009 and later starred for them in the postseason.

With the Yankees, he had perhaps the most memorable moment of his career, hitting the tying, pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the 2012 American League Division Series then the walk-off homer in the 12th.

Yadier Molina to Serve as Special Assistant to St. Louis Cardinals’ President of Baseball Operations

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Yadier Molina is trading in his uniform for a suit…

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher will remain with the St. Louis Cardinals as a special assistant to John Mozeliak, their president of baseball operations.

The announcement comes after the longtime catcher wrapped up his 19-year big league career in 2022.

Molina was a 10-time MLB All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner who played all 2,224 games of his career for St. Louis. That included 2,184 games behind the plate, the most by any catcher for one team in major league history.

“We are excited to welcome Yadi back to the St. Louis Cardinals,” Mozeliak said in a statement. “He will provide invaluable help at the major league level, as well as spend time with our minor league teams in his new role with the team.”

Molina trails only Stan Musial, who played 22 seasons for St. Louis, for the most with the club. Along the way, he helped the Cardinals reach four World Series and win championships in 2006 and 2011. His longevity coupled with the success of those Cardinals teams are a big reason why he retired as the team’s career postseason leader in hits (102) and games played (104).

Molina, a fourth-round pick of the Cardinals in the 2000 first-year player draft, served as the manager of Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in 2023. He also managed Navegantes del Magallanes in Venezuela.

Félix Bautista Named the American League’s Reliever of the Year

Posted on November 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Félix Bautista is experiencing a bit of relief…

The 28-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles was the unanimous winner of the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award.

Bautista, nicknamed “The Mountain,” was 8-2 with a 1.48 ERA and 33 saves in 39 chances for the AL East champion Orioles.

The right-hander made his final appearance August 25 and had Tommy John surgery on October 9, which likely will cause him to miss the 2024 season.

Bautista, who made his MLB debut in 2022, was named 2023 MLB-All-Star.

Milwaukee Brewers‘ Devin Williams won the Trevor Hoffman National League honor Wednesday.

Nelson Cruz Reportedly Joins Los Angeles Dodgers as Advisor

Posted on November 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Nelson Cruz is getting back in the game…

The 43-year-old Dominican former professional baseball designated hitter and right fielder has joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as an advisor.

Cruz, known for his power hitting, is expected to work mostly out of the team’s academy in his native Dominican Republic, according to ESPN.

Cruz announced his retirement from the majors in early November, then played five games with the Gigantes del Cibao of the Dominican Winter League as something of a farewell tour.

Cruz spent 19 years in the big leagues, most recently with the San Diego Padres through the first three months of the 2023 season. He made seven MLB All-Star teams and won four Silver Slugger Awards, amassing 464 home runs and 2,053 hits for eight teams. Cruz was also suspended 50 games in 2013 for his ties to the Biogenesis steroid scandal, but his reputation throughout the sport has allowed him to distance himself from the label better than most others tied to performance-enhancing drugs.

A winner of the Roberto Clemente Award for his philanthropic efforts in 2021, Cruz is especially revered by the Latin players and served as both the general manager and a player for their national team in the World Baseball Classic this year.

The Dodgers haven’t officially announced Cruz’s hiring and the specifics of his role are not yet known.

Dominican baseball reporter Tenchy Rodriguez first reported the development.

Eugenio Suarez Acquired by Arizona Diamondbacks in Trade with Seattle Mariners

Posted on November 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Eugenio Suarez is headed to the desert…

The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired the 32-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball infielder in a trade with the Seattle Mariners, filling their vacancy at third base and adding much-needed power to their lineup.

The Mariners received right-hander Carlos Vargas and veteran catcher Seby Zavala for Suarez, who has belted at least 21 home runs in each of the past seven full seasons.

The reigning National League champion Diamondbacks were in need of a third baseman when three-time All-Star Evan Longoria became a free agent this month. Longoria, 38, appeared in just 74 games during the regular season but started 16 of 17 games at the hot corner during Arizona’s postseason run.

“It adds a little bit of stability at that spot,” Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said. “He’s a guy we’ve liked for a long time.”

Suarez will make just over $11 million in 2024 — the final guaranteed year of a seven-year contract that also includes a $15 million club option for 2025. His 7.2 WAR over the past two seasons is ninth among all major league third basemen.

Suarez batted .232 with 22 homers and 96 RBIs but also struck out a league-leading 214 times this past season, his second with the Mariners. He was an MLB All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds in 2018 and enjoyed his best season in the majors the following year, when he had a career-high 49 homers and 103 RBIs.

But Suarez has struggled to make consistent contact over the past four years, starting with the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season when he batted just .202 despite hitting 15 homers in 60 games with Cincinnati.

Suarez, who has batted just .221 since 2020 and has led the American League in strikeouts in each of the past two seasons, will join a Diamondbacks lineup that finished tied for 10th in the National League this season with 166 homers.

Arizona ranked 26th in baseball in WAR by third basemen in 2023. Of the five players who played that position for Arizona last season, three are already off the roster — Longoria is a free agent, Josh Rojas was traded to Seattle at the trade deadline, and Buddy Kennedy was lost on waivers to the St. Louis Cardinals. Jace Peterson and Emmanuel Rivera remain from the group and figure to fill reserve and/or platoon roles.

Vargas, 24, made five relief appearances during the regular season while Zavala, 30, is a .210 career hitter in parts of four seasons with the Diamondbacks and White Sox.

Jerry Dipoto, president of baseball operations for the Mariners, said the club envisions Zavala as the backup to Cal Raleigh entering the season.

Moving on from Suarez will be hard to sell to a fan base full of skepticism about the direction of the club after Seattle missed the playoffs and Dipoto’s misstep with some of his postseason comments. From the outside, it appears to be a move to clear salary, erases a key leader from Seattle’s clubhouse and leaves a hole at third base.

“Adding Seby and Carlos is another step toward building the type of deep roster that is required at the major league level,” Dipoto said. “Seby is an experienced catcher with excellent defensive skills who will team with Cal behind the plate. And Carlos is a young reliever with the type of ‘big stuff’ that our staff has done a wonderful job developing over the years.”

Ketel Marte Breaks MLB Postseason Hitting Streak Record

Posted on October 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Ketel Marte has moved up in the Major League Baseball postseason record books…

The 30-year-old Dominican professional baseball and Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman broke the postseason hitting streak record in Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday night, recording a hit for the 18th consecutive game.

Marte unseated MLB Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, 12-time MLB All-Star Manny Ramirez and Hank Bauer, a seven-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees.

The first four games of Marte’s streak came in 2017, and he has hit safely in all 14 of Arizona’s games this postseason, the latest being Arizona’s 9-1 victory against the Texas Rangers that evened the series.

“I know what type of player I am,” Marte said. “When I’m healthy, I can do very well.

“I never imagined doing something like this,” he continued. “But … I believe in my talent.”

In the eighth inning Saturday, Marte stepped to the plate with the bases loaded, one out and an 0-for-4 batting line. He proceeded to shoot a Martin Perez changeup up the middle for a two-run single that extended Arizona’s lead to 7-1.

Marte is now hitting .333 this postseason with a .910 OPS, both the top marks for Arizona. His hit was one of 16 on the night from the Diamondbacks, who got at least one hit from all nine starting position players.

“We have a great team, great batters,” Marte said. “This organization deserves a championship now, and we believe in ourselves and give the best of ourselves.”

Bartolo Colon Selected in Inaugural Draft of Dubai-Based ‘Baseball United’ League

Posted on October 23, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Bartolo Colon is preparing to hit the mound in the Middle East…

The 50-year-old Dominican-American former professional baseball pitcher, nicknamed “Big Sexy,” has been selected in the inaugural draft of a Dubai-based baseball league.

Colon headlined picks by teams in Baseball United, the first pro baseball league in the Middle East and South Asia.

Colon joins a roster of notable, older former MLB player picks that includes Robinson Cano, Pablo Sandoval, Didi Gregorius, Andrelton Simmons and Steven Moya.

Colon, the 2005 Cy Young Award winner and a four-time MLB All-Star, went 16th overall to the Karachi Monarchs, one of four Baseball United teams slated to begin play next fall in the cricket-mad region. The Dubai Wolves, Mumbai Cobras and Abu Dhabi Falcons are the others.

The right-hander last pitched in 2018 with the Texas Rangers to end a 21-year major league career. He announced his retirement in September during a ceremony with the New York Mets.

The 40-year-old Canó, an eight-time MLB All-Star, went sixth overall to the Dubai Wolves. Canó, who played last season with the Atlanta Braves, batted .301 with 335 homers over a 17-year career that included a 2009 World Series title with the New York Yankees. He was one of several players to pose in his new uniform for posts on Baseball United’s social media Monday.

Sandoval, 37 and known as “Kung Fu Panda” during a 13-year career most memorable for helping the San Francisco Giants win World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014, was the fourth overall pick by the Falcons. The Venezuelan last played 69 games with the Atlanta Braves two years ago.

Moya, 32, was the second selection by the Monarchs. He batted .250 with five homers and 11 RBI with the Detroit Tigers from 2014-16.

The picks will also compete in an All-Star showcase next month at Dubai International Stadium.

The league’s investors include Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera and Barry Larkin. Kash Shaikh, president and CEO of Baseball United, told The Associated Press in May that the league will own the initial four teams, with four additional teams to be unveiled next year. He hopes the teams can eventually reap lucrative returns at auction. He also promised yet-to-be announced rules that would differ from Major League Baseball, including “things that you’d never see in other professional baseball leagues” to further appeal to cricket audiences.

Framber Valdez to Start Game 2 of Houston Astros vs. Minnesota Twins’ American League Division Series (ALDS)

Posted on October 8, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Framber Valdez is reporting for duty…

The 29-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher, nicknamed “La Grasa,” will start Game 2 of the Houston Astros’ American League Division Series against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.

Manager Dusty Baker made the announcement late last week.

Valdez was 12-11 with a 3.45 ERA in 31 starts this season. He threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Guardians in August.

Valdez enjoyed a banner year in 2022, when he became the Astros’ Opening Day starter, an MLB All-Star, and an All-MLB First Team selection—each for the first time. And he compiled an MLB record of 25 consecutive in-season quality starts.

The Astros won that year’s World Series, the first championship for Valdez, who pitched six innings in the decisive Game 6 after having won Game 2.

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