MLB 2023 | Iglesias records 30th save, Luis Robert with two steals, Abreu hits his 17th home run

Major League Baseball (MLB) and other Cuban Players News for the 2023 season. A compendium from several sources

Raisel Iglesias (Photo: MLB)

Sep 22

Raisel Iglesias held on to a three-run lead Friday against the Nationals for his first save since Sept. 10.

Iglesias picked up the save Friday against the Nationals. He allowed two hits and no walks while striking out two over a scoreless inning. After striking out Joey Meneses to start the ninth inning, Iglesias then yielded consecutive singles to Dominic Smith and Keibert Ruíz. Thankfully the Atlanta closer was able to stem the tide, striking out Luis Garcia and inducing an Ildemaro Vargas grounder to finish off the game. Iglesias has reached the 30-save milestone for the fourth time in his career (previously achieved in 2018, 2019 and 2021). He’s 30-for-34 saving games on the season.

Luis Robert adds two steals in Friday's loss. Robert went 1-for-4 with a run scored and two stolen bases in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Red Sox. He nearly manufactured Chicago's first run of the night by himself, swiping second and third base after a one-out single in the sixth inning before Andrew Vaughn brought him home on a grounder that Rafael Devers couldn't corral. The steals were Robert's first in September, but he's now one pilfer away from his first career 20-20 campaign -- through 143 games, he's slashing .264/.315/.539 with 37 homers, 19 steals, 79 RBI and 89 runs.

Yennier Cano blows save Friday. Cano (1-4) blew his sixth save of the season and took the loss Friday as the Orioles fell 9-8 to the Guardians, giving up two runs on two hits and a walk in one-third of an inning. Both hits went for doubles, with David Fry's drive off the wall in left-center field walking it off for Cleveland. Since Felix Bautista (elbow) landed on the IL in late August, Cano has struggled as the main man in the Baltimore bullpen -- while Friday's blown save was his first in four opportunities as closer, he has a 6.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and poor 2:3 K:BB through nine innings, and he's given up a run in five of his 11 appearances during that stretch.

Yordan Álvarez is limited to DH with elbow issue. Álvarez said Friday that he has been limited to DH duties because of a right elbow issue, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported. Álvarez felt something in his throwing elbow while swinging a bat 10 days ago, which explains why he last played the outfield Sept. 13. His limitations have pushed Michael Brantley (soreness) and Chas McCormick to left field and often relegated Yainer Díaz to the bench. It's unclear when Álvarez might be able to cycle back into the mix in left, but at least his bat can remain active in the meantime. He hit a first-inning RBI double in the Astros' loss to the Royals on Friday.

José Abreu slugged his 17th home run of the season on Friday night, but it wasn’t enough to power the Astros past the Royals.

Abreu walloped an opposite-field 379-foot blast off of left-hander Cole Ragans in the second inning, pulling the Astros to within two runs at 4-2. That would be as close as they would get. The 36-year-old also singled in the eighth inning and rode home on Chas McCormick’s three-run blast, finishing the night 2-for-4. Overall on the season, Abreu is now hitting .235/.294/.375 with 17 long balls and 83 RBI.

Rays' Randy Arozarena: Exits with quad tightness. Arozarena was lifted from Friday's game against the Blue Jays with right quad tightness, Ryan Bass of Bally Sports Sun reports. Arozarena let up a bit while rounding third base in the bottom of the first inning, though he managed to gut it out until being replaced by Manuel Margot before the top of the fifth. Arozarena finished the night 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored. Consider him day-to-day leading into the remainder of the Rays' three-game weekend series versus Toronto.