MLB 2025 | Arozarena and Vargas hit their sixth home runs of 2025; Moncada returned to the Angels lineup; Blanco played for the Royals; Yordan is still dealing with his hand problem
- BaseballdeCuba
- May 19, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: May 20, 2025
Cuban Players News for the 2025 Major League Baseball season. A compilation of several sources.
Randy Arozarena hit his sixth home run of the season.
Randy Arozarena went 1-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Sunday's 6-1 victory over the Padres. Arozarena ignited the Mariners' offense with a solo homer to tie the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning. He also reached base on an error and scored in the sixth inning. This home run was Arozarena's first of the month, although he has been hitting well, going 15-for-47 (.319) with four doubles and three RBIs over 14 games in May. Overall, the outfielder has a .242/.380/.425 slash line, with six homers, nine stolen bases, 21 RBIs, 21 runs scored, and 10 doubles across 43 games, and he's been improving in recent weeks despite the lack of power.
Miguel Vargas hits his sixth home run of the season.
In Sunday's 6-2 defeat to the Cubs, Miguel Vargas went 2-for-3, hitting a solo home run and getting hit by a pitch. His solo homer in the fourth inning off Colin Rea tied the game at 1-1. In his last nine games, Vargas has achieved five multi-hit performances, going 12-for-34 (.353) with four home runs, four doubles, and nine RBIs. The infielder's current slash line stands at .245/.328/.421, with six home runs, 21 RBIs, 20 runs scored, 10 doubles, and one stolen base over 180 plate appearances. He continues to play almost daily during this impressive stretch.
Yoán Moncada returned to the lineup for Sunday's Freeway Series finale against the Dodgers.
Yoán Moncada returned to third base and hit third in the lineup on Sunday after missing one game due to a recurring right thumb problem that flared up during Friday’s series opener. It appears he will need to handle the issue moving forward, but it won't necessitate a stint on the injured list. In the 6-4 victory over the Dodgers, he recorded one hit in four at-bats, drew a walk, and scored a run.
Yandy Díaz recorded an RBI.
In the Rays' 5-1 defeat against the Marlins on Sunday, Yandy Díaz achieved a 1-for-4 performance, contributing an RBI. This marked his 24th RBI of the season. After missing a three-game series against Toronto due to a passport renewal issue, Yandy has secured hits in all three games against Miami, accumulating four RBIs.
Dairon Blanco participated in his first game since being activated from the IL on May 16.
Dairon Blanco participated in his fourth game of the season on Sunday and first since being activated for the 10 days IL, contributing to the Royals' 2-1 win over the Cardinals. He covered center field and hit ninth in the batting order, achieving 1-for-2 with a double, and an RBI to tied the game in the fourth inning.
He also secured his third steal of the year. Known for his speed on the bases, Blanco has accumulated 55 stolen bases over the past two seasons with the Royals. If he maintains consistent play, he is anticipated to exceed his personal best of 31 steals set last year.
Andy Pagés hitless on Sunday.
Ina 6-4 loss to the Angels, Andy Pagés went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. It was Pagés second game of the last three without a hit. Besides this, Pagés is hitting .265/.275/.456 with 3 homers and 13 RBIs in May, and overall he already has 9 homers and 27 RBIs, leading all Cuban players this year in both categories.
Luis Robert Jr. records two hits.
On Sunday against the Cubs, Luis Robert Jr. managed to get 2 hits in 4 at-bats, including a double, and scored a run. This performance broke his three-game hitless streak, though he has only reached base in two of his last seven games. His batting average is just .184 this season, with little progress as the season has advanced. Despite this, Robert demonstrates potential as a well-rounded player, having hit five home runs and recorded 17 steals in 43 games.
Lourdes Gurriel hitless on Sunday.
In a 1-0 victory over the Rockies, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. went 0-for-2 but drew two walks. Over his last two games, he has accumulated four walks, contributing to a productive period at the plate. During this stretch, he has hit .305 with three home runs and 12 RBIs over his last 15 games. Following Sunday's win, Gurriel's season stats reflect a .226 batting average, 7 home runs, and 27 RBIs across 43 games.
Edgar Quero contributes a hit.
In the White Sox's 6-2 defeat against the Cubs on Sunday, Edgar Quero went 1-for-3. Quero also contributed an RBI and a walk. The Cuban catcher’ slash line has dropped to .280/.372/.317, but he now has 10 RBIs and has scored 6 runs.
José Iglesias returned to the Padres' lineup.
After an 8-day hiatus, José Iglesias rejoined the Padres' starting lineup on Sunday, in a 6-1 Padres loss to the Mariners. He performed well, going 2-for-3 while playing third base and batting eighth. Despite Iglesias having a limited role with the Padres since Jake Cronenworth's return from the IL weeks ago, he demonstrated on Sunday that he can be effective if given more playing time. Currently, Iglesias is hitting just .158 over his last seven games and has a season batting average of .242/.294/.284, with 10 RBIs and 2 stolen bases.
Jorge Soler did not get a hit.
Jorge Soler went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout in Sunday's 6-4 win over the Dodgers. Soler is experiencing a rough month of May, following a .244/.303/.478 slash line in April with 5 home runs and 10 RBIs. This month, his batting line is .170/.279/.245 with just one home run and five RBIs. The concerning issue is the loss of his power, which is the only significant skill the Cuban player possesses at this level.
Yordan Álvarez continues to deal with a hand issue.
Manager Joe Espada mentioned on Sunday that Yordan is getting better each day, but he still feels the muscle strain in his right hand that placed him on the injured list on May 5, as reported by Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The 27-year-old was initially expected to be activated when first eligible early last week, but he hasn't been able to fully overcome the hand injury so far. Espada noted that the Astros want to ensure the issue "completely goes away" before Yordan returns, indicating that the organization is proceeding cautiously. Before his injury, Yordan hadn't quite been himself in 2025, with only three home runs and a .646 OPS over 29 games.
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