MLB 2022 | Néstor was really nasty, Abreu is heating up, and more

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

Néstor Cortés (Photo: AP)

May 26, 2022

Néstor Cortés limited the Rays to one run in eight innings and struck out five in the Yankees' 7-2 win Thursday.

Cortés generated just seven missed swings in a 109-pitch outing tonight, but he also didn't give up much hard contact (and the one time he did, it was a harmless 113-mph grounder from Yandy Díaz). It's the second time this season that he's completed eight innings, and he's 4-1 with a 1.70 ERA through nine starts. Of 144 pitchers who have thrown at least 20 innings, per FanGraphs, Cortés ranks 134th in average fastball velocity at 90.6 mph. He thrives on precision and funk. He changes arm angles, varies the speed of his windup, hides the ball in his delivery, and works like he has a dinner reservation to make.

White Sox's Jose Abreu: Hot stretch continues. Abreu went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and a run scored Thursday against Boston. Abreu continues to swing a hot bat, and he now has four multi-hit performances in his last nine starts. He has two home runs, six doubles, seven RBI, and seven runs scored in that span. While still considerably worse than his career marks, Abreu has improved his line to .236/.328/.401 across 180 plate appearances for the campaign.

Tampa's Yandy Díaz and Randy Arozarena were hitless against the Yankees.

A combined 0-for-7 with a strikeout - Arozarena - and a walk, was the result of both hitters Thursday night against the Yankees. Díaz BA descended to .268 while Arozarena is now hitting .257.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. struggles continue.

Gurriel Jr. was 0-for-2 with 2 walks on Thursday 6-3 win against the Angels. Gurriel got on base twice but continues his terrible month of May offensively. The Cuban outfielder is now 8-for-60 during May with no home runs and 2 RBI. His slash line this year is .221/.279/.321.

Adolis García has two hits on Thursday against the A's.

García who slash line this year is .216/.263/.407, went 2-for-4 with his 9th double of the year and his RBI 27. García scored once and also struck out, batting sixth for the Rangers in a 4-1 win. García's double in the ninth inning brought home the winning run for the Rangers.

Nationals' Yadiel Hernández: Replaced for defense. Hernández was replaced in the eighth inning of Thursday's game against Colorado for defensive purposes, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. Lane Thomas entered the game to take over in left field. Prior to his exit, Hernández went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, and two RBI.

Yoán Moncada was absent from the White Sox lineup on Thursday due to leg soreness.

Moncada has battled a variety of ailments this season and is batting just .136/.177/.254 through 62 plate appearances. White Sox manager Tony La Russa told reporters they wanted the third baseman to get two days off in a row.