MLB 2024 | Yandy's hitting streak reaches 18 games; Pagés and Vargas once again in the starting lineup; Blanco gets his 15th steal; Zulueta debuts and gets sent down to the minors

Cuban Players News for the 2024 Major League Baseball season. A compilation of several sources

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Yandy Díaz is also in a seven-game RBI streak.

Yandy Díaz went 1-for-5 with a solo home run Tuesday against the Mariners. Yandy led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run, continuing his excellent run of recent production. He has gone deep three times in his last six starts and also has at least one RBI in seven straight games. Yandy also extended his hitting streak to 18 games, during which he's hit .358.

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Andy Ibáñez leads offense in win.

Andy Ibáñez went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Phillies. Ibáñez continued a strong June, as he's now batting .314 this month with six RBI and six runs scored across 15 games. The utility player is batting a solid .284 overall, and while he's not providing a ton of power, he has been a solid bat for the Tigers. Ibáñez's biggest question moving forward is playing time, though Detroit figures to find creative ways to get him into the lineup even if he's not locked into a regular starting role.

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Andy Pagés and Miguel Vargas were back in the starting lineup.

Vargas and Pagés appeared in the Dodgers' starting lineup for the second straight game. It was a 4-3 victory over the White Sox this time. Playing in left field, Pagés went hitless batting 0-for-4, while Vargas repeated a 1-for-2 night with a walk. Although both Cuban players are part of the Dodgers' new promotion, neither has a secure role with the cast, with Pagés playing more regularly. While Pagés is hitting .254/.305/.412 with eight home runs and 23 RBIs in his first season in the Majors, Vargas, who debuted in 2022 with the Dodgers, has a slash line of .344/.405/.563 with six home runs and six RBIs. Vargas has been more active in June, participating in eight games and hitting safely in seven, still in a limited role but with an active five-game hitting streak.

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Dairon Blanco notches 15th steal.

Dairon Blanco stole a base as a pinch runner in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Marlins. The steal was Blanco's 15th of the year and his fourth over 11 contests in June. The outfielder remains confined to a bench role, and he's gone just 3-for-19 with one walk and six strikeouts this month. For the year, he's slashing .236/.291/.319 with one home run, four RBI and 18 runs scored over 80 plate appearances while seeing action in 46 contests.

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Yosver Zulueta debuted as Cuban pitcher 177th in the Majors. Several hours later, the Reds optioned Zulueta to Triple-A Louisville.

Yosver Zulueta debuted in the major leagues during Tuesday's 9-5 defeat against the Pirates, becoming the 177th Cuban pitcher to play in the Majors. During his relief appearance, he recorded four strikeouts and conceded one run across three innings. The following morning, the Reds sent Zulueta down to Triple-A Louisville to make room for Graham Ashcraft, who was called up to start the series finale against Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Zulueta is likely to be called up again by the Reds when they require a reliever, given his impressive performance showcasing his powerful fastball, effective sinker, and precise slider.

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Yariel Rodríguez to start today against Boston.

The Toronto Blue Jays will start rookie pitcher Yariel Rodríguez against the Boston Red Sox today. Yariel has made five starts and is (0-2) with a 5.94 ERA and a staggering 1.92 WHIP over 16 2/3 innings, striking out 17 and walking 11. He lasted only 1 1/3 innings against the Guardians on June 21, allowing five runs (four earned) on two hits. Rodríguez has yet to go beyond four innings in any of his starts. Yariel has shown flashes of potential, but not enough to get a role in any MLB starting rotation, at least not yet.

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Randy Arozarena got the day off.

Arozarena was out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mariners. Arozarena got his first true day off of June on Tuesday, with Josh Lowe filling in at DH while Jonny DeLuca played left field. The 29-year-old has hit 10 home runs and stolen 10 bases, but he's batting just .191 (51-for-267) on the year after making his first All-Star appearance in 2023. The good news is that he could be pulling out of his season-long slump, as he's gone 11-for-33 (.333) with two home runs, three doubles, seven RBI, three stolen bases and five runs scored in his last 10 games, where he has generated a hit in nine of his those games. Don't give up on Arozarena just yet in 2024.

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Lázaro Montes promoted to High-A.

Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lázaro Montes is being promoted to High-A Everett. Montes has been one of the best players in the minor leagues through the opening months of the 2024 campaign with a .309/.411/.527 slash line and 13 long balls, 72 RBI, one swiped bag, and a 43:59 BB:K ratio. Montes posted similar numbers in his first taste of Single-A ball last summer with a .321/.429/.565 line. The 19-year-old was very consistent at Single-A this season and never posted a monthly batting average below .250. He held several extended hitting streaks, including an eight-game streak from May 25 to June 2.

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