MLB 2022 | Luis Robert slugs his eight homer, Yordan adds his 23rd, Yuli also homered, and more

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

Luis Robert (Photo: Chicago White Sox's Twitter)

Jun 28, 2022

White Sox's Luis Robert: Flexes power Tuesday. Robert went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run, a double, and two total runs scored in Tuesday's 11-4 win over the Angels. Robert gave the White Sox their first lead of the game with a fifth-inning, 448-foot moonshot. He had gone 0-for-8 in his last two games, marking just the third time this year he's gone multiple games without a hit. The outfielder is slashing a strong .295/.324/.434 with eight homers, 38 RBI, 34 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, and 10 doubles across 58 contests.

Randy Arozarena went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and two stolen bases in Tuesday's loss to the Brewers.

Arozarena singled home Yandy Díaz in the bottom of the fourth, and hit a 109-mph single in the bottom of the eighth. The 27-year-old outfielder is slashing .258/.307/.407 with seven home runs and 15 stolen bases over 296 plate appearances.

White Sox's José Abreu: Doubles twice in three-hit game. Abreu went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's 11-4 win over the Angels. Abreu helped the White Sox start a five-run rally in the seventh inning with his two-run double. He's posted four multi-hit efforts in his last eight games, going 12-for-32 (.375) in that span. The first baseman has maintained a productive .273/.367/.443 slash line with nine home runs, 35 RBI, 41 runs scored and 19 doubles across 313 plate appearances.

Orioles' Cionel Pérez: Takes first loss

Pérez (4-1) allowed a run on one hit and struck out two in two-thirds of an inning, taking the loss Tuesday versus the Mariners. Pérez put J.P. Crawford aboard with two outs in the eighth inning. Felix Bautista then gave up a pair of hits, allowing two runs to score, with the decisive one going on Pérez's line for his first loss of the year. This is just the fourth time in 29 appearances the southpaw has been charged with a run, and he still has a steady 1.52 ERA despite a 1.48 WHIP and 23:11 K:BB across 23.2 innings. Pérez has added a save and nine holds as a high-leverage option for the Orioles this year.

Cardinals INF prospect Malcom Núñez homered twice while going 3-for-5 Tuesday for Double-A Springfield.

Núñez also singled and drove in five runs in the contest. Over 61 games, the 21-year-old has gone deep 11 times, and the three-hit effort sees his slash improve to .260/.380/.466. There’s no doubting Núñez’s power; it could be plus-plus someday, and he’s a hitter who is willing to draw walks and also has minimal swing-and-miss. The questions come as to where Nunez is going to play -- particularly as a member of the St. Louis system where third base seems occupied for a while -- and he’s not an elite defender anywhere. Still, the bat can play, and Núñez could be someone worth consideration as soon as next year. The 2024 season seems a bit more likely.

Yuli Gurriel went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's win over the Mets.

Yordan Álvarez hit a two-run home run a few batters into the top of the fifth, and towards the end of the inning, Gurriel hit a 104.3 mph two-run home run off of Chasen Shreve. He's in the midst of a five-game hitting streak, during which he's driven in three and scored two runs. Gurriel is hitting just .228 on the campaign, though he's raised that mark to .247 across 23 games in June.

Adolis García went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a walk Tuesday as the Rangers defeated the Royals.

In the top of the first, García hit a 96.7-mph double to left field, scoring Marcus Semien and giving the Rangers an early lead. The 29-year-old outfielder is 32-for-101 (.317) with seven home runs and six stolen bases in June.

Astros INF/OF prospect Pedro León stole two bases and homered on Tuesday for Triple-A Sugar Land.

The two steals give León 21 in 62 games with the Space Cowboys, and the homer brings his total to 10. While he’s hit just .226 over his 234 at-bats, the 24-year-old has hit for enough power and gotten on base at a solid enough clip to register an .801 OPS. Signed out of Cuba for $4 million last January, León is tooled up with plus power potential, plus-plus speed and an arm that competes with the best of them. The issue comes with the swing-and-miss in his game, as it’s unlikely he’ll ever be able to hit for average at the highest level. If the swing-and-miss can be kept in check he has the talent to help his team.

Yadiel Hernández hit a pinch-hit, two-run double in the eighth inning to propel the Nationals to a win over the Pirates on Tuesday.

Hernández saw just two pitches on the night, ripping a Wil Crowe changeup over the right fielder's head with two outs to cash in a pair of runs. It's a much-needed big hit for Hernández, who has really struggled in June.

Yordan Álvarez went 3-for-3 with a two-run home run and two walks in Tuesday's win over the Mets.

Álvarez went 3-for-3 with two walks, a two-run home run and two runs scored Tuesday against the Mets. In the top of the fifth, Álvarez sent a 106.2 mph two-run home run to center field, bringing the score to 7-0 Astros. The 25-year-old superstar has a stellar .434 batting average with nine home runs in June (76 at-bats). Ávarez has had an incredible campaign through 66 games, maintaining a .453 wOBA and 205 wRC+.

Jorge Soler had an RBI single and reached base twice Tuesday in St. Louis.

The Marlins collected four hits and three runs in the third inning, which included Soler's opposite-field, RBI single. Outside of that they were shut out on just two hits. Soler has cooled back off in June after a big May, although he has driven in a run in four of his last six games.

Aroldis Chapman (Achilles) worked a scoreless rehab inning Tuesday with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Chapman struck out two of the three batters he faced in the 13-pitch minor-league appearance. Of those 13 pitches, seven went for strikes. The veteran reliever is right on track to return to the Yankees' bullpen this Thursday ahead of a makeup game in Houston, though Clay Holmes will remain the club's primary closer for at least a little while longer -- and quite possibly the remainder of the year.

White Sox's Yoán Moncada was activated from the 10-day injured list.

Moncada returned to the White Sox' lineup for Tuesday's showdown against the Angels following a nearly two-week absence due to a right hamstring strain. The 27-year-old third baseman has dealt with persistent leg issues throughout this season, which have limited him to just 29 games. On his comeback night, Moncada went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI and a run scored, Moncada also struck out twice.