MLB 2022 | Cortés limits damage to solo shot, Chapman's disastrous comeback, and more

Daily Major League Baseball (MLB) Cuban Players News for the 2022 season. A compendium from several MLB sources.

Néstor Cortés (Photo: New York Yankees' Twitter)

Jul 2, 2022

Néstor Cortés allowed a run over six innings in Saturday's win over the Guardians.

He also scattered three hits and struck out six. Outside of an Amed Rosario solo home run in the bottom of the first, Cortés was in the zone on Saturday (literally). He attacked the strike zone with his three most-used offerings (his fastball, cutter, and slider) and earned a solid 31 percent called plus swinging strike rate. This was the first time in a month that Cortés has completed six innings after a shaky June saw him post a 4.15 ERA in 26 innings across five starts. The southpaw has a 2.44 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 91:19 K:BB in 85 innings through 15 starts overall, and he's projected for a road start in Boston next week. He'll bring a 2.44 ERA into Friday night's road tilt against the Red Sox.

Yoán Moncada went 2-for-3 and drove in a run on Saturday as the White Sox topped the Giants.

Moncada drove in a run with an RBI single off of Logan Webb in the fourth inning that extended the White Sox lead to 3-1. With his two-hit effort, the 27-year-old is now hitting .189/.238/.295 with three homers and 15 RBI through 33 disappointing ball games.

Aroldis Chapman walked three batters and failed to record an out on Saturday in a relief appearance against the Guardians.

It's not what you want. Chapman was brought into Saturday's blowout for his first relief appearance since landing on the injured list back in late May with a left Achilles injury and immediately walked the bases loaded. He was lifted from the contest before things got worse and wound up being charged with two runs after departing the contest. Chapman couldn't find the strike zone, he threw just seven of his 19 pitches for strikes. While Chapman didn't issue a walk during his minor-league rehab assignment, he was all over the place before hitting the IL, and until he starts showing some resemblance to his old self, it will be an easy call for manager Aaron Boone to keep Clay Holmes as the top option for saves.

Ray's Yandy Díaz and Randy Arozarena: Combined for 8 hits on Saturday's doubleheader.

Díaz and Arozarena played both the doubleheader against the Blue Jays with Tampa winning the contests, 6-2 and 11-5. In the games, Yandy Díaz went 4-for-7 with a double (11) 2 runs scored, an RBI (16), 2 walks, and a strikeout. Meanwhile, Arozarena was 4-for-10 with a double (17), two runs scored, an RBI (34), his stolen bases #18, and three strikeouts. Arozarena slash line is .258/.309/.402 while third baseman Díaz is slashing .280/.397/.364.

Blue Jays' Lourdes Gurriel: Was on the bench for nightcap. Gurriel wasn't in the lineup for the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Rays. Gurriel extended hit hitting streak to six games during Saturday's matinee, as he went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. He got a breather for the nightcap while Raimel Tapia started in left field and batted sixth.

White Sox's Luis Robert and José Abreu: Just one hit against the Giants.

Luis Robert went 0-for-4 with a strikeout on Saturday's 5-3 victory against the Giants, while Abreu was 1-for-3 with two runs scored, a walk, and a strikeout. Luis Robert and Abreu have now identical .285 BA for the year.

Angels' Raisel Iglesias: Scoreless inning.

Iglesias pitched a scoreless ninth inning in a no-save situation during a 9-1 loss to the Astros. Iglesias struck out two and walked none, lowering his ERA from 3.62 to 3.49 for the year. Iglesias has 15 saves in 2022 and a 0.81 WHIP.

Yordan Álvarez (head) was back in the Astros' starting lineup for Saturday's contest against the Angels. Yuli was hitless.

Fantastic news. Álvarez cleared concussion protocol and returned to the Astros' lineup on Saturday after missing two consecutive contests for precautionary reasons following a brutal on-field collision with teammate Jeremy Peña earlier this week. The 25-year-old slugger was named the best hitter in baseball last month, batting .418/.510/.835 with nine home runs and 28 RBI across 23 games since June 1. In the game, Álvarez went 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts, while in the same game Yuli Gurriel was 0-for-3 with a walk and also a strikeout.

Rockies' José Iglesias: Hitless on Saturday.

Iglesias went 0-for-4 with a strikeout on Saturday 11-7 win against the D-backs. Iglesias and catcher Brian Serven were the only two Rockies starters to not record a hit on Saturday. Iglesias slash line is now .291/.336/.372 with 1 HR and 21 RBI.