MLB 2025 | Pagés reaches 35 RBIs; Soler and Arozarena homered; Chapman delivers another scoreless inning; Yariel' streak of scoreless innings persists; Yordan wasn't activated on Friday
- BaseballdeCuba
- May 31
- 5 min read
Cuban Players News for the 2025 Major League Baseball season. A compilation of several sources.
Andy Pagés achieves his 35th RBI.
Andy Pagés drove in three runs as the Dodgers triumphed over the Yankees 8-5 on Friday night. Pagés contributed with two hits and scored a run. After starting 0-for-2, he tied the game in the sixth inning with a single to left field. Then, in the seventh, he singled to center field with runners on third and second, pushing the score to 8-5. Pagés has been a reliable part of the Dodgers' lineup, boasting a .275 batting average with 9 home runs and 35 RBIs over 53 games. His 35 RBIs are the highest for any Cuban player in the Majors at present, a surprising achievement at the season' start. Over his last 31 games, he has improved his performance with 29 RBIs. His recent performance against the Yankees contributes to a strong stretch over his last five games, where he has maintained a .297 average with six RBIs. Notably, he excels in home games, batting .289 with five home runs and 20 RBIs, showing his comfort at Dodger Stadium.
Luis Robert Jr. hitless on his return.
In his return to the lineup on Friday against the Orioles, Luis Robert Jr. went 0-for-3 with a walk. He struck out three times after missing two games due to knee soreness. The 27-year-old has been aggressively running the bases but hasn't contributed significantly in other areas. Robert has a poor .207/.258/.293 slash line with one home run over 24 games in May, although he's added value with nine steals. He is likely to see significant benefits from being traded to a strong contender in the coming weeks before the trade deadline on July 31, rather than remaining stuck in the White Sox's ongoing rebuilding phase.
Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. has another multi-hit game.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. recorded 2 hits and an RBI on Friday, even though the D-backs fell to the Nationals 9-7. Gurriel made a significant contribution to the Arizona Diamondbacks' efforts against the Washington Nationals with 2 hits, an RBI, a run scored, and a walk. His recent performance against the Nationals highlights his steady presence at the plate. Over his last 30 games, he boasts a .319 average with an OPS of .889, indicating a strong mid-season form. His performance on May 31 adds to his consistent streak, batting .345 over the past 15 games. He ranks second in RBIs among all Cuban players in the Majors with 32.
Aroldis Chapman pitched another inning without allowing any runs.
Aroldis Chapman delivered a scoreless ninth inning during Boston's 5-1 win against Atlanta. He entered the game to finish it in a non-save situation, requiring just 14 pitches, with nine being strikes. Chapman struck out two batters efficiently. Since his first blown save on May 27, he has resumed his duties, pitching two scoreless innings and recording three strikeouts in his last two appearances. He maintains an impressive season with a 1.96 ERA over 23 innings, a 31:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and eight saves in 25 games.
Yandy Díaz did not get a hit on Friday.
In a 2-1 defeat against the Astros, Yandy Díaz didn't manage to get a hit. He went 0-for-4 with one strikeout. Although he hit a home run the previous day, he's clearly having trouble maintaining his performance right now. We all hope this is just a temporary setback for the reliable hitter, who boasts a solid .284 career batting average in the Majors.
Yariel Rodríguez's streak continues.
Yariel Rodríguez made his return on Friday in Toronto's 11-7 win over the A's. He pitched a scoreless seventh inning, allowing one walk and recording no strikeouts, which extended his streak of scoreless innings to 14. Throughout this period, he has achieved a 14:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio. This May, Yariel has finally demonstrated his true worth since Toronto signed him to a five-year, $32 million contract, despite not having the opportunity to regain his role as a starter in Toronto's rotation. He currently holds a 2.86 ERA over 28 1/3 innings, with 26 strikeouts in 23 games.
Miguel Vargas and Edgar Quero, one hit each.
Miguel Vargas and Edgar Quero each had a hit in the White Sox's 2-1 defeat against the Orioles. Vargas went 1-for-4 with a strikeout, and Quero went 1-for-3 with a strikeout. Both Vargas and Quero have been standout stories for Cuban baseball players in 2025. Vargas adapted his hitting style to secure a starting position, turning around a season that seemed headed for the Minors. Meanwhile, at 22, Quero looks set to be a future talented catcher, and he has demonstrated his potential throughout this season. Vargas has a slash line of .245/.321/.440 with 8 home runs and 26 RBIs this year, while Quero, in his rookie season, is slashing .257/.341/.312 with 10 RBIs.
Randy Arozarena hits a home run on Friday.
Randy Arozarena went 2-for-4, hitting a solo home run in Friday's 12-6 extra-inning defeat against the Twins. Before this game, Arozarena was in an 0-for-14 slump. He ended it early by hitting a home run in the first inning, his first since May 18. During the 10 games between home runs, he struggled, hitting .128 (5-for-39) with 17 strikeouts. Currently, the outfielder has a .224/.353/.398 slash line with seven homers, 23 RBI, 24 runs scored, and nine stolen bases over 54 games. His 29.4 percent strikeout rate is the highest of his career, limiting his potential until he improves his contact consistency.
Jorge Soler hits his eighth home run.
Jorge Soler had a strong performance on Friday evening, going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, leading the Angels to a 4-1 win over the Guardians. Soler started the second inning with a walk and scored the first run of the game on Jo Adell's RBI single. The 33-year-old hitter contributed a two-out RBI single in the seventh inning, extending the Halos’ lead to 3-0. He sealed the victory with a 393-foot solo home run (105.4 mph exit velocity) off Andrew Walters in the eighth inning. Soler's run production has significantly increased over the past week, bringing his season total to 23 RBI, with seven of those in his last eight games. This season, Soler is hitting .230/.304/.408 with eight home runs and 23 RBI.
Adolis García was absent from the Rangers' starting lineup for Friday night's game against the Cardinals.
Rangers’ captain Bruce Bochy announced that Adolis García was given the night off to take a mental break and reset. The outfielder is hitting .122 (5-for-41) with 18 strikeouts over his last 12 games. The 32-year-old power hitter has a disappointing slash line of .208/.256/.371 with seven home runs, 27 RBIs, five stolen bases, and a 57/11 K/BB ratio in 215 plate appearances this season.
Prior to Friday's game against the Rays, Yordan Álvarez participated in live batting practice on the field.
Yordan Álvarez hit a home run to finish his live batting practice session before Friday's game against the Rays, as reported by Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Although Yordan was eligible to be activated, it seems he wasn't ready for Friday's game. Rome observed that Mauricio Dubón and José Altuve stood up as if to signal they were convinced of Yordan's recovery after his home run, suggesting he might be activated as a designated hitter on Saturday or Sunday.
Yoán Moncada was absent from the lineup for Friday’s game against the Guardians.
Yoán Moncada exited Wednesday's game against the Yankees due to knee soreness and will be out for at least one additional game because of the injury.
Mariners outfield prospect Lázaro Montes went 2-for-3 and hit a two-run home run on Friday for High-A Everett.
Lázaro Montes hit his Northwest League-leading 11th home run of the season on Friday night with a powerful shot that exited his bat at an impressive 114 mph. As a 20-year-old corner outfielder, Montes needs to excel offensively as a bat-first prospect to make a major impact in the future. This season, he is exceeding expectations with a strong .966 OPS at the High-A level.
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