MLB 2025 | Iglesias struggles in outing; Moncada is back to swinging the bat; Chapman secures rare hold; Cortés placed on 60-day IL; Vargas remains hitless
- BaseballdeCuba
- Apr 22, 2025
- 4 min read
Cuban Players News for the 2025 Major League Baseball season. A compilation of several sources.
Raisel Iglesias allowed three runs in one inning of pitching against the Cardinals on Monday.
Raisel Iglesias gave up three runs in a non-save situation on Monday in an Atlanta 7-6 victory over the Cardinals. He surrendered a two-run homer to Willson Contreras and an RBI double to Victor Scott II before finally concluding the inning.Iglesias allowed one walk and struck out one batter, needing 25 pitches—15 of which were strikes—to finish the inning.
As a result, his ERA has risen to 6.23, but more worrying is that Iglesias has been allowing many hard hits this season. According to the expected statistics, Iglesias ranks among the lowest in baseball. He has an xERA of 7.18, placing him in the fifth percentile, an average exit velocity of 93.8 mph, which is in the third percentile, and a groundball rate of 24%, placing him in the fourth percentile in baseball. A slight concern for a team anticipated to reach the 2025 postseason.
Yoán Moncada starts swinging the bat again.
According to MLB.com, Yoán Moncada has been capable of swinging right-handed and fielding grounders. Moncada was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 10 because of a right thumb sprain, making him eligible for activation now. Although it's uncertain when the switch hitter can start swinging left-handed again, he seems to be progressing in his recovery. Moncada might rejoin the Angels before the end of April, but a return in early May seems more probable.
Aroldis Chapman achieved an uncommon hold.
Aroldis Chapman had an uncommon appearance in the eighth inning, earning a hold in a 4-2 win over the White Sox. After his performance on April 15, when he secured his fourth save of the year against Tampa Bay, Chapman took the mound again on April 19, setting a team record with a pitch speed of 102.3 mph, although no save was recorded. Yesterday, he threw 16 pitches, 12 of which were strikes, allowed a run on a home run by Andrew Benintendi, and struck out one batter. He didn't return for the ninth inning. It was his first hold of the year.
Luis Robert Jr. struggles continue.
Luis Robert Jr. went 0-for-4 with two striekouts MOnday in a 4-2 defeat agains the Red Sox. He is now slashing only .125/.269/.232 in April with 2 homers and 5 RBIs. In previous seasons, Robert showcased much stronger offensive skills, with a batting average well above .250 and more consistent power-hitting capabilities. His 2023 season, for instance, saw him hitting .264 with 38 home runs and 80 RBIs, indicating since last year a significant decline in his current form. This stark contrast raises concerns about his ability to regain his previous levels of performance as the season progresses.
The Brewers moved LHP Néstor Cortés to the 60-day injured list.
Néstor Cortés was placed on the injured list on April 6 due to a left elbow flexor strain and is expected to be out for an extended period. He has not started throwing again and is not anticipated to return until at least early June. This procedural move opens up a spot on Milwaukee’s 40-man roster.
José Iglesias and Yulieski Gurriel did not get any hits on Monday.
José Iglesias began the game at second base for the Padres, going 0-for-3 but scoring a run in their 6-4 defeat against Detroit. During the same match, Yuli Gurriel appeared as a pinch hitter and went 0-for-1. The Padres are competing in the challenging National League West, and contributions from these two Cuban veterans could be instrumental in their pursuit of a 2025 postseason berth.
Edgar Quero went hitless on Monday.
Edgar Quero went hitless in four at-bats during Monday's 4-2 defeat against the Red Sox. Quero contributed one RBI and struck out once. He was positioned as the cleanup hitter and served as the catcher. Since making his debut on April 18, he has a slash line of .267/.313/.400 over 5 games and 15 at-bats. The 22-year-old switch hitter from Cienfuegos shows great potential for the future.
Yordan Álvarez power still missing.
Yordan Álvarez went 1-for-3 with an RBI in the Astros' 7-0 victory over the Blue Jays on Monday. He also had a walk and a strikeout. This season, Álvarez's power has been somewhat subdued, as he has only five extra-base hits, including two home runs, across 21 games. Despite this, there's no issue with Yordan this year, except that, in a relatively small sample size, his HardHit% of 44.8 is the lowest of his career.
Daysbel Hernández secures his second victory.
Daysbel Hernández earned his second victory of the year following a scoreless inning against the Cardinals in a 7-6 triumph. Although Daysbel didn't record any strikeouts and issued one walk, he did not allow a hit during his 10th outing of the season. Last year, he made 16 appearances, achieving a 3-0 record with 26 strikeouts in 18 innings and maintaining a 2.50 ERA. Daysbel remains a reliable reliever in high-leverage situations for the Braves.
On Monday, Miguel Vargas went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, dropping his average to .139.
Miguel Vargas has a strikeout rate of 26 percent, which is higher than his career average of 22 percent, despite his contact numbers being slightly better than usual. His hard-hit rate is 41 percent, which is above average overall and significantly better than his career rate of 30 percent. However, he is slugging .203. Since he has no options left, the White Sox are likely to keep him for now. Their patience might eventually wear thin, though, as he batted just .104/.217/.170 in 157 plate appearances after joining from the Dodgers last summer.
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