MLB 2023 | Yandy homers as part of three-hit day, Adolis blasts HR 29, Oviedo blanks Brewers in win

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

Yandy Díaz (Photo: Carlos Osorio/AP)

Aug 6

Yandy Díaz hit a home run and finished 3-for-5 with two RBI against the Tigers on Sunday.

Díaz went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer, a double and three runs scored in Sunday's win over the Tigers. Díaz led off the game with a double and then sent a screamer to left center in the second to put the Rays up 5-0. The home run was 410 feet and left the bat at 108.6 mph; it was Díaz’s 16th of the season. Díaz is on pace to set career highs in home runs, RBI, and runs scored in his age 31 season. While not a plus runner, he has produced like an elite lead-off hitter for Tampa; however, the home run was only his fourth since May 26th, so the early season power boom looks like a bit of a mirage. However, Díaz has cemented himself as one of the elite leadoff men in baseball this season and is now slashing .315/.398/.508 with 16 homers, 55 RBI, 67 runs and a .906 OPS.

Adolis García crushed his 29th home run of the season on Sunday afternoon, helping to power the Rangers to victory over the Marlins.

García went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 6-0 win over the Marlins. García has homered four times and added five RBI while going 8-for-19 (.421) over six games in August. The 30-year-old slugger capped off the scoring in the ballgame with his mammoth 444-foot (105.8 mph EV) solo shot off of Geoff Hartlieb in the eighth inning. He finished the day with a pair of runs scored and is now hitting .266/.343/.533 with 29 long balls, 89 RBI, 84 runs scored, seven stolen bases, and 23 doubles on the season.

Johan Oviedo tossed seven shutout innings Sunday in the Pirates’ 4-1 defeat of the Brewers.

Oviedo (6-11) earned the win over the Brewers on Sunday after tossing seven scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and walking three. He struck out six. He's allowed one run or fewer in four of his last five starts and has totaled 11 such starts this season which is the second most in the National League. With Sunday's spectacular outing, Oviedo has tied Mitch Keller for the team lead with 12 quality starts and now possesses the lowest ERA on the team with a 4.18. The only knack on the 25-year-old is he's issued multiple walks in seven consecutive starts. On the whole, it’s been a pretty encouraging year for the former Cardinal; he’s picked up some velocity and performed as a slightly above average starting pitcher with his 4.18 ERA and 117/54 K/BB ratio in 131 1/3 innings. He probably doesn’t have much upside beyond this, but the Pirates are happy to have him.

Sunday, José Abreu was hitless.

Abreu is unrecognizable. Upon returning to the Astros' lineup on Sunday, he went 0-for-4 in a 9-7 victory over the Yankees. Moreover, Abreu struck out three times, and the player the Astros expected to replace Yuli Gurriel at first base does not seem to be up to the task. Having hit .237/.293/.348 in 108 games with 10 HRs, 56 RBIs and 105 strikeouts, Abreu has had his worst season since joining the Majors in 2014.

Yordan Álvarez hits his 21st home run.

In Sunday's 9-7 win over the Yankees, Álvarez went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run. Álvarez has 21 home runs on the season and has hit safely in nine of ten games since returning from a 39-game injury absence. With 62 RBI and a slash line of .290/.396/.613, he's on pace for his third consecutive season of 30+ home runs.

Yasmani Grandal reclaims top catching job. Grandal started at catcher and batted seventh in Sunday's 5-3 win over the Guardians. He went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts. After sitting out a stretch of three straight games from last Sunday through Wednesday, Grandal has now picked up starts behind the plate in four straight contests. Though Grandal is holding down an unremarkable .688 OPS for the season, the White Sox are viewing him as the only option at catcher with Seby Zavala added to the IL and expected to be out until August 13.

Cionel Pérez collects fourth win. Pérez (4-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings to earn the win in Sunday's 2-0 victory over the Mets. Perez relieved starter Kyle Bradish for the final out of the fifth inning, retiring D J. Steward with bases loaded. The Orioles then took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Pérez pitched another scoreless inning, then relievers paved the way for Félix Bautista, who closed out the game. Overall, Pérez is at a 4.30 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and 29:22 K:BB with eight holds and one save through 37.2 innings.

Yoán Moncada went hitless on Sunday.

In a 5-3 win over the Guardians, Moncada continued his poor season batting 0-for-5 and two strikeouts. It is the third straight game without a hit for the third baseman. He is hitless in his last 11 AB. As a result of injuries, Moncada has only played in 49 games, posting a poor offensive line of .218/.262/.324 with 3 HR and 16 RBI.

Yuli Gurriel went 2-for-3 with a double as the Marlins were shut out by the Rangers on Sunday afternoon in Arlington.

As a team, the Marlins collected just six hits in the ballgame, with Gurriel the only member of the squad to tally more than one. The 39-year-old has done a decent job in a limited role with the Marlins — slashing .273/.332/.391 with three homers, 20 RBI and four stolen bases in 265 plate appearances.