Diego Castillo Claimed by New York Mets

Diego Castillo is headed to the Big Apple

The 26-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball infielder has been claimed by the New York Mets off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Diego Castillo,Castillo appeared in one Major League Baseball game last year, flying out as a pinch hitter on July 31.

He hit .313 with 33 doubles, three home runs, 72 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 124 games at Triple-A Reno.

Castillo made his major league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022, when he batted .206 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs in 96 games. He was traded to Arizona in December 2022.

He was designated for assignment on December 22 to open a roster spot when the Diamondbacks re-signed outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Rowdy Tellez Agrees to $3.2 Million, One-Year Contract with Pittsburgh Pirates

It’s all hand on deck for Rowdy Tellez.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to a $3.2 million, one-year contract with the 28-year-old half-Mexican American professional baseball first baseman/designated hitter.

Rowdy Tellez Tellez can earn $800,000 in performance bonuses as part of the deal, which is pending a successful physical.

Tellez hit .215 with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023. The left-handed Tellez is a career .233 hitter in six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee.

The Pirates entered the offseason in need of help at first base. They began 2022 with Carlos Santana at the position before sending him to Milwaukee at the trade deadline. Connor Joe and Jared Triolo saw time at first, among others, over the final two months of the season.

Tellez should find the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park inviting. He is a career .277 hitter at PNC Park, with 5 home runs and 20 RBIs in 21 games.

Tellez is the second significant addition by the Pirates during free agency. Pittsburgh acquired left-handed pitcher Marco Gonzales from the Seattle Mariners last week

Ali Sánchez Agrees to 1-Year Deal with Pittsburgh Pirates

Ali Sánchez is battening down the hatches

The 26-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball catcher has agreed to a 1-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving the team another player to throw in the mix behind the plate with Endy Rodriguez and Henry Davis.

Ali SánchezSánchez spent last season with Arizona’s Triple-A affiliate in Reno, hitting .311 with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 43 RBIs in 67 games. He also threw out 22 baserunners.

Sánchez has appeared in seven Major League Baseball (MLB) games, five for the New York Mets in 2020 and two for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021.

While Pirates general manager Ben Cherington has insisted that Davis, the top overall pick in the 2021 draft, will get a chance at catcher, Sánchez’s arrival gives Pittsburgh flexibility at the position. Davis played primarily in right field after making his major league debut in June.

The Pirates also claimed right-handed pitcher Roddery Munoz off waivers from the Washington Nationals. Muñoz, 23, went a combined 4-6 with a 5.42 ERA in 34 appearances at multiple levels of the minors in 2023.

Houston Astros Star Jose Altuve Notches 2,000 Career Hits

Jose Altuve has 2,000 reasons to smile…

The 33-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball player and Houston Astros star has notched 2,000 career hits, becoming the third player in franchise history to reach the milestone.

Jose AltuveAltuve hit a leadoff single in the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert on Saturday night.

He was thrown out trying to stretch the play into a double, but the Minute Maid Park crowd was ready to celebrate.

As Altuve trotted toward the dugout, a 2,000-hit graphic was displayed on the jumbotron and the eight-time MLB All-Star tipped his helmet to the roaring crowd. With the fans still cheering, Altuve stepped up out of the dugout for a curtain call, once again tipping his helmet.

“We did a little champagne toast and they said some things about me and then I had to say some things about me, too,” Altuve said about the postgame clubhouse celebration. “It was good.”

Hall of Famers Craig Biggio (3,060) and Jeff Bagwell (2,314) also reached 2,000 hits with the Astros. They were both in attendance on Saturday night.

Altuve also singled on Gilbert’s first pitch of the game and singled in the seventh, ending the day with 2,001 career hits. He finished 3-for-5 in a 10-3 loss to Seattle.

“That’s quite an accomplishment,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “A couple other Hall of Famers here got 2,000 hits. … Hopefully he can stay healthy and be around for the next 1,000.”

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen and Chicago White Sox infielder Elvis Andrus also reached 2,000 career hits this season. Andrus got his milestone hit on April 5. Freeman accomplished the feat on June 25, and McCutchen reached the milestone on June 11.

There are seven active MLB players with at least 2,000 hits: Miguel CabreraJoey Votto, Nelson Cruz, Andrus, McCutchen and Freeman.

Milwaukee Brewers Acquire Carlos Santana from Pittsburgh Pirates

Things are brewing for Carlos Santana.

The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired the 37-year-old Dominican-American professional baseball player and first baseman from the Pittsburgh Pirates, attempting to shore up a tepid offense as they try to hold onto first place in the National League Central.

Carlos SantanaSantana was dealt to a contender for the second consecutive season after going from Kansas City to Seattle last year. Long considered a clubhouse leader, Santana will fill in at first base for Rowdy Tellez, who, while recovering from a forearm injury, tore a fingernail on a chain-link fence while shagging batting practice. 

In exchange for Santana, who is hitting .235/.321/.412 with elite defense at first base, the Pirates will receive 18-year-old shortstop Jhonny Severino, who signed with Milwaukee for $1.23 million last year and is currently playing in the Arizona Complex League.

At 57-46, the Brewers have clawed back into the NL Central pole position despite scoring just 423 runs — three fewer than their top-notch pitching staff has allowed.

While a resurgent Christian Yelich has paced the offense, only one other season-long regular, catcher William Contreras, has an OPS above .700.

Milwaukee, which shipped closer Josh Hader to San Diego at the trade deadline last season and blew a three-game division lead, was expected to add players on the margins rather than go after bigger-name players.

Santana is owed around $2.5 million for the remainder of the season.

Severino hit .268 with a team-leading 25 RBIs in 48 games while playing in the Dominican Summer League in 2022.

Late Baseball Great Roberto Clemente to be Subject of Biopic

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.Roberto ClementeThe 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.

Miguel Castro Agrees to One-Year Contract with Arizona Diamondbacks

Miguel Castro is shining bright like a Diamond(back)

The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed the 27-year-old Dominican professional baseball hard-throwing reliever to a one-year contract.

Miguel CastroCastro, who turns 28 this month, has already spent eight years in the big leagues, most recently with the New York Yankees. He was 5-0 with a 4.03 ERA in 34 appearances last season.

The 6-foot-7 right-hander has averaged more than a strikeout per inning over the past three seasons. The bullpen was a weak spot for Arizona this year and general manager Mike Hazen said upgrading that area — particularly with power arms — was a priority.

The Diamondbacks finished 74-88 last season, a 22-win improvement over a dreadful 2021.

Arizona also claimed catcher Ali Sánchez off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He’s appeared in seven major league games with the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals over the past two seasons.

Carlos Santana Agrees to One-Year, $6.7 Million Contract with Pittsburgh Pirates

Carlos Santana is headed to the crow’s nest…

The 36-year-old Dominican-American professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman, nicknamed “Slamtana,” has agreed to a one-year, $6.7 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, pending the results of a physical, according to ESPN.

Carlos SantanaSantana finished with a league-average OPS last year, hitting .202/.316/.376 between stints with the Seattle Mariners and Kansas City Royals. But his expected numbers, based on how hard he hit the ball (an 81st-percentile exit velocity) and his elite walk rate (97th percentile), projected far better results, something that drove his market.

Further, nobody was shifted a higher percentage last year than Santana, who saw altered defense in 356 of his 362 left-handed batting appearances. With the ban of the shift coming in 2023, the switch-hitting Santana could see a significant benefit.

After a midseason trade to the Mariners, Santana emerged quickly as a leader, something the Pirates — whose oldest position player on the 40-man roster is 31-year-old Ji-Man Choi, for whom they traded earlier this winter — desperately need.

Santana is entering his 14th season and has a career line of .242/.359/.432 with 278 home runs and 925 RBIs.

He will rejoin Pirates manager Derek Shelton, who was the big league hitting coach for Cleveland when Santana joined the organization following a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008.

Still a strong defensive first baseman, Santana is best known for his plate discipline and power. He has posted walk rates of greater than 13% in every big league season and hit at least 18 home runs in each of his 11 full years in the major leagues.

The Pirates, whose payroll was among the bottom five in baseball this year for the fifth consecutive season, are expected to further to add via free agency or trades this winter, a young core led by center fielder Bryan Reynolds, shortstop Oneil Cruz, and third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes. Starter Mitch Keller and closer David Bednar anticipate the arrival of catcher Henry Davis, second baseman Nick Gonzales and right-hander Quinn Priester.

Pittsburgh Pirates Acquire Lewin Diaz Off Waivers from Miami Marlins

Lewin Diaz is walkin’ the plank…

The Pittsburgh Pirates have claimed the 26-year-old Dominican professional baseball first baseman off waivers from the Miami Marlins, according to ESPN.

Lewin DiazIn a corresponding move, Pittsburgh designated utilityman Hoy Park for assignment.

Diaz played parts of the past three seasons in Miami following his August 2020 debut.

A lefty batter who also throws with his left, Diaz contributed a -0.5 WAR to the Marlins by slashing .169/.224/.288 and a collective .512 OPS.

He hit four doubles, five home runs, and drove in 11 in 160 at-bats spanning 58 games during the 2022 season.

Diaz’s overall numbers combine to total 10 doubles, 13 home runs, 57 RBI, and a lifetime .181 batting average. His best season was 2021, hitting over the Menzoda Line at .205 and smashing a career-high eight round-trippers.

It’s a tale of two careers for Diaz between the big leagues and Triple-A. Over 156 games the past two seasons, Diaz combined to hit 34 doubles, 39 home runs, and 105 RBI. His average hovered around .250 both years. He was the Marlins’ No. 8 prospect in 2020 and projected as a 55-grade hitter and fielder on a 20-80 scouting scale.

Acquired from the New York Yankees as part of the Clay Holmes trade, Park hit .216 this past season in 23 games, hitting two homers and driving in six. A versatile defender capable of playing the infield and outfield, Park owns a career .201 MLB average and never found a consistent swing to stick in the lineup. He could clear waivers and remain a Pirate in Triple-A if not claimed.

Diaz joins recently acquired lefty Ji-Man Choi at a position the Bucs desperately need improvement from. Expect Miguel Andujar to also be a factor and contribute as the designated hitter able to drive the baseball.

Giovanny Gallegos Agrees to $11 Million, Two-Year Contract with St. Louis Cardinals

It’s Lucky No. 11 for Giovanny Gallegos

The 31-year-old Mexican professional baseball pitcher and reliever has agreed to an $11 million, two-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, a deal that includes a club option for 2025 and escalators that could make it worth $20.5 million over three seasons.

Giovanny GallegosGallegos, a right-hander, is 3-5 with a 2.91 ERA and 14 saves in 20 chances this season. He has 72 strikeouts and 15 walks in 58⅔ innings.

“I feel so happy,” Gallegos said Monday before the Cardinals played the Pirates in Pittsburgh. “I don’t have the word for exactly how I’m feeling.”

He was obtained from the New York Yankees in July 2018 along with left-hander Chasen Shreve in the trade that sent first baseman Luke Voit to New York. Gallegos is 14-15 with a 3.02 ERA and 34 saves in six major league seasons.

“Since joining the Cardinals organization in 2018, Gio has been a consistent and significant contributor to our bullpen, and we look forward to him continuing to be an important piece moving forward,” Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said in a news release.

Gallegos gets a $500,000 signing bonus and salaries of $4.5 million next year and $5.5 million in 2024. St. Louis has a $6.5 million team option for 2025 with a $500,000 buyout.

His 2025 option price can increase by up to $3.5 million for games finished in 2024: $500,000 each for 20-25 and 26-30 and 31-35, and $1 million apiece for 36-40 and 41 or more.

He would get $250,000 for winning the Rivera/Hoffman reliever of the year award, $50,000 for All-Star selection and World Series MVP and $25,000 for League Championship Series MVP.

Gallegos has a $2.41 million salary this year.

He was eligible for salary arbitration and is potentially eligible for free agency after the 2024 season.