MLB 2023 | Oviedo struggles in loss, Grandal homered, Cionel adds another solid inning

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

Yohan Oviedo (Photo: MLB)

Jul 21

Johan Oviedo allowed five runs over four innings on Friday in a loss against the Angels.

Oviedo (3-11) allowed five runs on three hits and three walks while striking out four over four innings to take the loss Friday versus the Angels. Oviedo didn’t allow his first hit until the fourth inning. But things got away from him quick. A walk and a double brought in the first run for the Angels before a pair of home runs brought four more home. Oviedo would only get through four innings on 75 pitches. The 25-year-old right-hander will take a 4.77 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and a 101/46 K/BB across 111 1/3 innings into a matchup against the Padres in San Diego on Wednesday. Oviedo still has a problem pitching deep into games.Inconsistency is the biggest problem here.In his two previous starts, he shut out the White Sox over 6 2/3 innings, registering 18 swinging strikes on 89 pitches, and he struck out 10 in seven one-run innings against the Cardinals.Between those two starts, he issued just one walk.His slider has improved by about 3 mph since a year ago, and it has turned him into a legitimate bat-misser, but for some reason he can't make three great consecutive stars.

Yasmani Grandal is regaining playing time. Luis Robert hitless. Grandal went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk Friday against the Twins. Grandal began losing playing time to Seby Zavala in early July, but he has now started six of the team's last seven games. Three of those came at designated hitter with Eloy Jiménez sidelined, but Grandal has started consecutive games at catcher since Jiménez has returned. He's homered twice in 20 at-bats across his last six games, though he is striking out at a 34.8 percent clip. Luis Robert went hitless with two strikeouts in four at bats in the same game.

Cionel Pérez pitched another excellent inning in relief.

During Baltimore's 3-0 loss to Tampa Bay, Cionel Pérez had a solid performance.In the eighth inning, Cionel struck out two on 11 pitches, seven of which were strikes. The only runs - two - he has allowed in his last seven games were on July 18 against the Dodgers,a span during which he has struck out nine and posted a 2.25 ERA.

Adolis García returned to the Rangers’ starting lineup for Friday night’s tilt against the Dodgers.

The 30-year-old slugger was pulled from Wednesday’s game after being hit in the arm by a pitch, but X-rays came back negative for any fractures and the pain and swelling went down during Thursday’s off-day. He was back in right field and batting cleanup against Tony Gonsolin and the Dodgers on Friday evening. He went 1-for-2 with two walks and added his 22nd double of the season.

Jorge Soler went hitless on Friday. Gurriel didn't play.

In Miami's 6-1 loss to Colorado, Soler went 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts.The loss of Soler in the second half of the season has contributed to Miami's 7-game losing streak, which has pushed Miami to third in the NL East.Eight of Miami's last ten games have ended in losses.

Oscar Colás did not play Friday. Colás was not in the starting lineup Friday against Minnesota. Colás took a seat after he went 0-for-9 with an RBI and three strikeouts over the team's three-game series with the Mets. There is still a long way to go before the Cuban outfielder is ready for the Majors, and the question is, when will he be?

Andy Ibáñez took a breather Friday.

Ibáñez was not in the starting lineup Friday versus the Padres. Ibáñez took a seat after he started all four games of a series with Kansas City, going 4-for-12 with an RBI and a run scored over those contests.